Pasta With Pancetta & Broccoli Rabe (2024)

This easy to make Broccoli Rabe Pancetta Pasta is pure comfort food and comes together quickly. It’s a taste of Sicily right in your kitchen. Pasta with pancetta and broccoli rabe or broccolini?? Count me in!

This post is sponsored by ShopRite. The opinions and text are all my own.

There’s no need to travel to Italy when you can create authentic regional dishes at home. With the help of ShopRite and their Imported from Italy products, you can have a taste of Italy at home any time you wish.

To experience more delicious regional Italian Inspired recipes, visit the Tutto Italiano page at getthesavings.com/tuttoitaliano.

Most families have pasta dinner nights often. Next time, why not switch things up and make this easy recipe for Pasta With Pancetta & Broccoli Rabe.

This was a hit with my entire family, and I will go as far as to say it’s restaurant worthy. The sauce is light and vibrant, the broccoli rabe compliments pasta perfectly and is a great way to inject veggies into a pasta dish (you can also sub broccolini or spinach). The crispy pancetta and pine nuts add texture, flavor and make this pasta dish sing. The flavors and textures are spot-on! If you enjoy pesto, you can add a dollop of that as well. I usually make this with broccoli rabe however this time I used broccolini, equally delish!

This dish is made better by using the best curated products selected by the ShopRite buyers from the regions of Italy. ShopRite does the work for you! Just look for the “Imported from Italy” symbol. You will find items like artichokes, olive oil, pesto, sauces, pasta and more!

How To Make Pasta With Pancetta & Broccoli Rabe

• This is a meal that comes together quickly. First, choose your pasta. I used Bucatini for this however, linguine, spaghetti, casarecce, pappardelle or your favorite robust pasta noodle will work as well.
• Start by crisping up your pancetta. When I picked up my pancetta at ShopRite, it was already cubed, so all I had to do was toss it in the pan and crisp it up (you can do this ahead of time as well and set it aside).
• Get your pasta water going and be sure to really salt the water. Like Gordon Ramsay says, you want it to taste like the ocean.
• In a large sauté pan, add your olive oil, and as soon as the oil heats up, add your shallots and sauté them for a minute or so, moving them around. Quickly add in your red pepper flakes, garlic and pine nuts and sauté for 30 seconds or so (over medium heat) moving them around. Add in your wine and chicken stock and allow it to just come to a simmer. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, blanch your broccoli rabe in the pasta water for 2 ½ to 3 minutes, then pull them out and toss them into the saucepan.
• Cook your pasta to 1 minute under al dente per package instructions and SAVE 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Turn your sauce back on over medium heat, add your pasta, pasta water, cheese and toss, toss toss. Add in black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning (add salt if you feel it needs it as well as additional red pepper flakes if you want heat). Cooking another minute or two.
• Plate the pasta, sprinkle with parsley and additional cheese and if you have it a dollop of pesto (especially yummy if you don’t have fresh parsley) and enjoy!

How to Make This Sicilian Inspired Pasta Dish Vegetarian?

To make this pasta dish vegetarian, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and the pancetta for toasted breadcrumbs. They add a nice crunch in addition to the pine nuts. To make garlic breadcrumbs, heat a little olive oil in a pan, sauté minced garlic for 1 minute or two, add in breadcrumbs (fresh) and if you like red pepper flakes and sauté until golden. Set aside until ready to use. As you serve the pasta, top each plate with a nice amount of the garlic breadcrumbs, yum! Check out my DIY Breadcrumb post here.

Expert Tips Making Pasta with Pancetta

• Quality ingredients always equal a better dish.
• Always salt your water so the water tastes like the ocean. Really. THIS is how you flavor pasta, more so over the actual sauces you choose to use.
• Whenever you are cooking with fresh garlic, be sure to not burn it. If you think your oil is too hot (or see any smoke) immediately remove it from the heat and allow it to cool down.
• To ensure that you don’t forget to reserve pasta water, FIRST scoop out a cup full of it before you drain your pasta.
• Broccoli rabe (or broccolini) is large, you can always toss it in the water WITH the pasta for the last 2 ½ or 3 minutes of cooking and strain it together, after all it is going into the same dish (this is how I do it).
• To emulsify your pasta with the sauce, use tongs and vigorously toss it around in your sauce. Many of the delicious bits of this dish fall to the bottom of the pan, be sure you scoop them all out and top each plate of pasta with them.

Enjoy this pasta dish alongside a crisp glass of Chardonnay and a crusty loaf of bread, garlic bread or crisp salad. Cheers!

And remember to check out the variety of recipes celebrating Tutto Italiano and the various regions of Italy here.

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