Orecchiette pasta with spicy tempeh sausage served with broccoli rabe and fresh basil.
It’s a VERY snowy Sunday here in Chicago (we legit got like a foot and a half last night) and I’m currently bundled up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of warm coffee trying to get as cozy as possible. So, in the interest of keeping things cozy, I’m sharing with you today this amazing comfort food pasta, Tempeh Sausage Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe.
This pasta is entirely based on one my mom makes but hers if of course made with spicy Italian sausage. Here’s the deal guys, yes just putting sausage in it would be easier, but making the tempeh sausage is not difficult at all and you’ll get a feeling of accomplishment from being so impressed that you somehow made a weird fermented soy bean taste like sausage! Also you’ll feel good about making a choice that is good for you and good for the environment, that’s my pep talk but also, I don’t shame if you do just go pickup sausage, we’re all about taking it a day at a time over here.
Honestly, this has been one of my favorite pastas on earth since the first time my mom made it and its SO simple. There’s something so perfect about the mix of the spicy sausage and the complex flavor of the broccoli rabe. The real magic too is that the sauce is just made from parmesan cheese and the reserved pasta water. This makes it creamy without having to add anything too heavy.
Quick note, if you cannot find broccoli rabe (also known as Rapini) you can substitute it for another dark green, I would recommend going with chard as that’s my favorite but if all else fails, doing kale will be just fine. Final note, if you’re vegan you’ll want to substitute vegan parm and vegan butter here, don’t cut out the parmesan taste, it’s necessary to the overall flavor profile.
If you try this recipe, share it with us on social, I’m on this stupid no gluten diet right now so I will start at your pictures in jealousy. If you’re looking for other carb heavy
Lots of Love,
Jackie
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Tempeh “Sausage” Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Orecchiette pasta with spicy tempeh sausage served with broccoli rabe and fresh basil. A bright, simple and delicious weeknight pasta dish.
Ingredients
8 oz tempeh
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp fennel seed
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp sage
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
4 tbsp butter
1 lb broccoli rabe, chopped
1 lb orecchiette pasta
1 tbsp cherry peppers
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
chopped basil for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- While the water is coming to a boil start the sausage. Pulse the tempeh in a food processor 5-7 times, it should be crumbly not blended. Transfer the tempeh to a large bowl.
- In a small pan, heat the tablespoon of olive oil and add the garlic and onion with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Add the onion garlic mixture to the food processor and pulse 5 times. Pour the garlic and onion into the bowl with the tempeh.
- Add the fennel seed, Italian seasoning, sage, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, soy sauce, white pepper, salt and dijon and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet. Add the tempeh and spread flat across the skillet. Let cook for 5 minutes until the bottom side is crispy. Then flip it over and cook the other side for 5 more minutes. Once the tempeh starts to crisp, add the remaining butter and continue to cook, flipping and stirring every few minutes until the majority of the tempeh is browned and the butter is fully cooked into the tempeh.
- Set the tempeh sausage aside. Add the broccoli rabe to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes until it starts to wilt. Remove the broccoli rabe from the water with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Add the pasta to the same boiling water and cook by the package instructions.
- When the pasta is almost cooked, scoop out one cup of the water and set aside. Strain the pasta and return to the pot. Add in the tempeh, broccoli rabe and cherry peppers and stir until combined. Add in the parmesan cheese, two teaspoons of olive oil and a the reserved pasta water about 1/4 cup at a time stirring in between. If it looks too watery before you’ve added the full cup stop.
- Season the pasta with salt and pepper to taste. You likely won’t need to much salt as both the tempeh and the cheese is salty. I like to finish it with fresh ground black pepper and top with fresh basil.
Notes
- If you’re vegan, substitute butter for vegan butter or olive oil, just know using olive oil will change the flavor profile slightly
- Substitute parmesan for vegan parm either store bought or, make your own by mixed 1/4 cup of cashews and a 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast with 1 tsp of salt in a food processor.
- If you can’t find broccoli rabe (rapini) substitute for another dark, bitter green like chard.
Keywords: pasta, vegetarian, vegan, tempeh, rapini, broccoli rabe, quick, easy
