Sausage and Broccoli Pasta

Ingredients

• 410 grams pasta (shell/conchiglie (1 box))
• 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 crowns broccoli (cut into florets)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
• 1 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• lemon wedge (optional)
• basil (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook pasta as directed on the package and reserve a cup of pasta water.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the ground Italian sausage, salt, and onion powder to the pan and brown the ground sausage for 5 to 6 minutes, making sure to break up the pork into small pieces.

3. 3

   Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for a minute.

4. 4

   Add a splash of broth to the skillet if the skillet needs to be deglazed. Add the broccoli florets and the vegetable broth to the skillet. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the butter and let it melt, deglazing the skillet if needed then add the cooked pasta and parmesan to the skillet.

6. 6

   Stir until well combined and the parmesan has melted. If the pasta is dry, slowly add the pasta water, a couple of tablespoons at a time.

7. 7

   Serve with more parmesan and some basil and lemon wedge, if desired.