Molise-Style Chicken Sausage Penne
with Broccoli, Parmesan & Chili Flakes
- Milk
- Wheat
In this Southern Italian classic hailing from the Molise region, six ingredients come together to make a delizioso one-bowl meal in a quick 20 minutes. You’ll combine browned Italian sausage and garlic with al dente penne and tender-crisp green broccoli. Drizzle with olive oil for a glossy, full-bodied sauce, then sprinkle generously with Parmesan and finish with chili flakes for a pleasant kick.
Ingredients
9 ounce
Italian Chicken Sausage Mix
8 ounce
Broccoli
3 clove
Garlic
6 tablespoon
Parmesan Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 teaspoon
Chili Flakes
6 ounce
Penne Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
3 tablespoon (tbsp)
Olive Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Peel and mince or grate garlic. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary.
• Remove sausage* from casing if necessary; discard casing. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. • Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat.
Swap in chicken sausage for pork sausage.
• Once water is boiling, add Colavita penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6 minutes. • Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is bright green and pasta is al dente, 3-5 minutes more. Drain.
• Return pan with sausage mixture to medium-low heat. Add drained penne and broccoli and 3 TBSP olive oil (6 TBSP for 4 servings) and toss until everything is coated in a glossy sauce. (TIP: Add an additional drizzle of olive oil if needed.) Taste and season with salt and pepper. • Divide pasta between shallow bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and as many chili flakes as you like. Serve.
Chicken Sausage is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Feb 2026- Flavor: Some found it bland; others enjoyed the simple flavors. Consider adding lemon, extra herbs, or Italian seasoning for more depth 🍋.
- Ease of prep: Quick and easy to make, with clear instructions and minimal cleanup. Be careful not to overcook the broccoli.
- Suggestions: Try roasting the broccoli instead of boiling. Add a light cream sauce or tomato paste for extra flavor and moisture.
- Portions: Large, satisfying portions; some even had leftovers for the next day.
- Spice: Chili flakes add a nice kick; adjust to taste for desired heat level 🌶️.
Reviews from our home cooks
My husband followed the directions exactly. It was greasy and bland. Would be better with less grease (draining the sausage) and more sauce (like your cheese sauce base + pasta water + Parmesan). Also, your directions should have cook test the pasta to see how close it is to al dente, not drop the broccoli in on a timed basis. That risks (delivers) either overcooked broccoli or undercooked pasta.
Ok, I made it a 5 star by adding a tablespoon of tomato paste to the sausage and frying a bit. Added a 1/2 cup of pasta water and the olive oil, and viola! Also added some leftover (from the week before) Italian seasoning. Made the dish. consider adding this. Seriously good.
This is a very easy dish to prepare and the flavors are wonderful. The sausage and cheese is Mmm Mmm good!!
I made this as my first meal once I received my box. I like the fact that I get to control the heat with the red chili flakes and can use less so it's not real spicy.
The guys ate this without the broccoli but I thought the broccoli added a special touch to this pasta dish. Was really good!!
This is one of my favorites! The ingredients pair together perfectly. Instructions were clear. Very flavorful dish!
The calorie count is so high. I didn't add olive oil to the sausage and ended up draining the sausage after it cooked to reduce the fat. Also, the broccoli was cooked exactly as directed and came out a bit mushy. If I had cooked it for a shorter time the noodles wouldn't have been done.
This was a simple meal with limited ingredients and it was excellent. It was easy to make and tasted really good. I will make it again.
Very tasty, I did have to add plenty of salt and pepper to flavor the broccoli and pasta.
Really good. Just be careful when putting the chili flakes because it can get spicy.
