Sausage and ricotta is one of our favorite pasta combos! Broccoli Rabe is one of Thomas’s favorite in this meal, but it’s not always kid friendly because of the bitterness so we do it this way for the kiddos! This dish requires minimal ingredients but has robust flavoring. Sometimes the simplest dishes pack the most punch. Be sure to make this recipe for friends and family, because we know it will be a hit!

What do you need to make this sausage and ricotta pasta + substitutions?

• Orecchiette pasta- Orecchiette is one of our favorite pasta shapes. It pairs really well with this recipe, but feel free to use any shape or variety! Whole wheat, chickpea, etc.
• Mild Italian Sausage- We used mild sausage but you can also do spicy Italian for a little more heat. Also, if you are in a pinch try ground turkey or ground pork. Sometimes the heat is not always kid friendly, so we usually stick to mild Italian sausage for the kids.
• Olive oil– There is nothing like some good quality olive oil. We use a ton of olive oil, because it’s one of our favorite things and has lots of wonderful nutrients! It adds such a nice light yet rich flavor!
• Fresh garlic- Fresh garlic is 100% ideal here. There really is no substitute to fresh garlic!
• Marinara sauce- Typically a thin and smooth tomato based sauce that adds great flavor because it includes seasonings like garlic, herbs and olive oil.
• Tomato paste- Tomato paste can transform soups, sauces, and stews, adding great flavor.
• Ricotta- This adds the best creaminess to the sauce. Ricotta is so underrated. If you don’t have it, you can always add a little heavy cream for creaminess, but it won’t be the exact same.
• Parmesan– We use fresh parmesan and grate it ourselves. You can also buy the already grated to save on time. Pecorino romano would work wonderfully too.
• Italian parsley– Adds the perfect fresh green touch to the top! You could also use basil, but we prefer parsley for this orecchiette pasta dish.
• Sea salt- We use Redmond sea salt, it’s our favorite and we use it in everything! You can use the code daddioskitchen for 15% off. We get the big big bag! 🙂
• Black pepper-  Pepper is a must in most cooking!

 Tips for making it:

• To save time you can take a few shortcuts. You can buy already grated garlic and already shredded parmesan for quick alternatives.
• Make sure you add the parmesan right onto the fresh pasta when you pour it into the pan with the rest of the ingredients. This ensures that the parmesan sticks to the pasta and just gives it a great distribution!
• Reserve pasta water for making a perfect sauce.

If you love this one, you may also love:

• Shrimp Penne Pasta
• Orecchiette Pasta with Italian sausage
• Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Pasta

Alright, let’s get to making the recipe! Enjoy!

Print Recipe

3.88 from 8 votes

Sausage and Ricotta Pasta

Sausage and ricotta is one of our favorite pasta combos! Broccoli Rabe is one of Thomas’s favorite in this meal, but it's not always kid friendly because of the bitterness so we do it this way for the kiddos! This dish requires minimal ingredients but has robust flavoring. Sometimes the simplest dishes pack the most punch. Be sure to make this recipe for friends and family, because we know it will be a hit!

Course: dinner

Keyword: 20 minute dinner, cozy dinner, dinner, easy dinner, family dinner, kid frendly, pasta dinner, sausage pasta

Servings: 0

Ingredients

• 8 oz orecchiette pasta
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 lb ground sausage
• ½ cup ricotta
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan also for garnish
• ⅓ cup reserved pasta water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ cup Italian parsley also for garnish
• red pepper flakes (optional for heat) garnish

Instructions

• Boil water and cook pasta to the desired time on the back of the box.
• In a separate pan, on medium heat add olive oil and chopped garlic. Saute garlic for about 1-2 minutes. Do not over cook.
• In the same pan, add your ground sausage and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Sausage should no longer be pink.
• Next, add in your marinara sauce and tomato paste and mix well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes stirring regularly. Afterwards, add your ricotta and continue to mix. Mix in some reserved water adding in a little at a time until desired sauce consistency.
• Reduce heat to simmer and add pasta. Top pasta with parmesan cheese and mix well. Next add in fresh chopped parsley.
• Add an optional sprinkle of red pepper flakes for heat. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

For Storing: Store in airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.