Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread
This Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread is a fun and delicious twist on the classic Italian pasta dish. Put it on the menu soon!
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I love talking about food. If you meet me in person, chances are we’ll end up talking about food within 2 minutes. That’s how this Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread came about. A longtime friend messaged me the other day. He said he recently ate at a restaurant and the special was Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread. He asked for advice on how to make it – and that’s how we ended up here!
Sausage and Broccoli Rabe is a classic Italian pasta dish. (My blog friend Frank @ Memorie di Angelina shares amazing Italian recipes. Here’s his version of Sausage and Broccoli Rabe.) The bitterness of the greens pairs well with the richness of the sausage. Serve that one over pasta, and you’ve got a fantastic recipe!
Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread
In this version, we are replacing the pasta with cheesy bread. The combination of garlic, sausage, red pepper flakes and melty cheese will leave your mouth watering! If you aren’t familiar with sausage and broccoli rabe (of even if you are), then give this recipe a try. It’s fantastic, and I couldn’t wait to eat another slice!
What is Broccoli Rabe?
Broccoli rabe is also known as rapini. The buds sort of resemble broccoli, but broccoli rabe is not broccoli. Broccoli rabe is actually more closely related to turnips than broccoli – go figure. This vegetable is known for its bitterness. However, in this case, that bitterness is a good thing!
The bitter flavor of broccoli rabe is a great partner to heavier Italian sauces and sausages. To remove some of the bitterness of that broccoli rabe, we boil it in a pot of salted water for a couple of minutes. From there, it gets chopped into smaller pieces and sauteed with the sausage, garlic and red pepper flakes. Add in some cheesy bread, and you’ve got a fantastic recipe!
Broccoli rabe, or rapini, can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. (2 of the 3 larger grocery stores in our area carry it – just check online before you head out shopping!) It might be called broccoli rabe. It might be called rapini. Same thing. Be careful, though – broccolini is not the same thing. If you can’t find broccoli rabe, substitute another bitter green (like mustard greens) in its place.
The sausage and broccoli rabe portion of this recipe would be fantastic mixed with pasta – orecchiette would be my recommendation for type of pasta. That mixture would also be great on a sandwich bun or even a pizza. However, for the purposes of this recipe, we’re going with cheesy bread. Delicious cheesy bread topped with greens and Italian sausage. Yum.
This Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread could be served as a main course along with some roasted veggies or riced cauliflower. Slices of this bread would also make for a great appetizer or a heavy hors d’oeuvre with a good glass of wine. Basically it doesn’t matter how you serve it – it’s a fantastic recipe, and it will make your taste buds happy!
If you’re looking for a mouthwatering (and unique!) recipe, give this Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread a try. I know we’ll be making this one again here in our house – probably very soon! Cheers!
Did you make this Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread
Ingredients
For the Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage hot or mild
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
For the Cheesy Bread
- 1 large loaf of soft Italian bread not a baguette with crispy edges
- ¼ cup prepared Italian salad dressing
- 1¾ cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided (I used Cabot's Rustic Cut Mozzarella Cheese)
- ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1½ tsp Italian seasonings
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- red pepper flakes
- chopped fresh Italian parsley
Instructions
For the Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
- Place a large pot of salted water over high heat.
- Trim off bottom 1-2” of broccoli rabe. Once boiling, add broccoli rabe and cook for 4 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Using a colander and several paper towels, press as much water as possible out of the broccoli rabe. Chop into ~1” pieces and set aside.
- Meanwhile, place Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up sausage, for 5 minutes.
- Add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes; stir until well combined. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add chopped broccoli rabe, stir until well combined and continue sautéing for 2-3 more minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat and add lemon juice; stir until well combined. Set sausage mixture aside to cool.
For the Cheesy Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Slice loaf of bread in half lengthwise; place each half on separate pieces of aluminum foil.
- Brush tops of both halves evenly with the Italian dressing.
- Sprinkle half of mozzarella cheese evenly on top of both halves.
- Divide the sausage and broccoli rabe mixture evenly on top of both halves.
- Wrap foil over bread and crimp edges together. Place both pieces of wrapped bread on baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove baking sheet and open foil.
- Using a small bowl, combine the Pecorino cheese, Italian seasonings, garlic powder and remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle this mixture evenly on top of each piece of bread.
- Return to oven and continue baking uncovered for 5-6 minutes, or until cheese has completely melted. (Note: If desired, broil the bread for the last 1-2 minutes.)
- Remove loaves from oven and sprinkle with red pepper flakes and chopped Italian parsley.
- Cut into slices and serve warm.
Looking for more tasty cheesy bread recipes? Check out these other favorites:
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu i need to find broccoli rabe in Singapore i never had sausage and broccoli rabe cheesy bread before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I’m not sure about broccoli rabe in Singapore. Remember it could be called rapini instead of broccoli rabe. Check out some grocery stores that have a good produce section and see what you can find! Also, I haven’t tried this with tofu, but I say give it a try!
Yum! One of our local pizzerias makes a pizza like this, which I love. Now we can get a similar taste with a lot less effort.. thanks!
Oooo – I like the idea of turning this into a pizza. It wouldn’t be that different than this cheesy bread recipe. I’m going to try that one of these weekends coming up!
I’m the same way. Talk to me and we talk about food! Unless you’re totally weird. Some people forget to eat lunch! HUH??!!!!! Anyway, great recipe.
Forget to eat lunch!? Who does that? I’m already thinking about lunch before the breakfast dishes are cleaned up! 🙂
I don’t think I’ve had broccoli rabe but this sounds so delicious David. Great flavours.
It might go by the name ‘rapini,’ Sherry! You could use other greens instead if those are available down there.
You’re so creative David! Love sausage and broccoli rabe together in pasta – but to put in cheesy bread is just genius!
Everything is better in cheesy bread form! 🙂 Thanks, Michelle!
Broccoli rabe and sausage is such a classic combination. We always make it tossed with pasta, but I love the idea of serving it as a cheesy bread. My mouth is literally watering thinking about it!
Oh this was SO good in cheesy bread form! The combination of the sausage and broccoli rabe with the cheesy bread was absolutely delicious. Give it a try, Marissa!
I didn’t know that broccoli rabe isn’t a type of broccoli! Go figure. I so like it though. And who doesn’t like a good cheesy bread?
I had to go down the rabbit hole of the internet to learn exactly what broccoli rabe is. Now I know…and you do, too. 🙂 Let’s celebrate our newfound knowledge with some cheesy bread, yes?
Talking about food is a universal language that unites people. Most people love food – either to eat or to cook 🙂 Also, most people love carbs (and carbs + cheese). So this bread is the winner, in my book!
That is 100% right, Ben – food really is the universal language. We all have to eat, so might as well enjoy it, right? And cheesy bread is always a winner…no matter the language!
Sausage and broccoli rabe is perhaps one of the best flavor combinations ever. The rich pork and spices combined with the bitter greens is perfect. I’m sure there weren’t any leftovers.
I totally agree with you, Karen! I love the pasta version of this meal, but I have to say that turning it into cheesy bread was a fun spin – this would be a great recipe for hanging out with friends!
This Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Cheesy Bread sounds like an incredible twist on the classic Italian sausage and broccoli rabe pasta dish. The combination of bitterness from the broccoli rabe, spiciness from the red pepper flakes, and savory sausage, all loaded onto cheesy bread, is sure to be a flavor-packed delight.
This was indeed a delicious riff on the classic Italian version with pasta – give it a try, Raymund!