- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Yields: 4 to 6
Foodie’s Markets distinctive, diverse,
and delicious foods.- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Yields: 4 to 6
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Yields: 4 to 6
Broccolini, Sausage and White Beans by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
March 8, 2023
Let’s begin with a look at broccoli, broccolini and broccoli rabe and if you get them mixed up you aren’t alone. First, they are all ‘cruciferous ‘vegetables from the cabbage family. Broccoli, the most common has a very recognizable shape, with a tight head of florets and thick stalks.
Broccoli rabe has thinner stalks, is leafier and has a slightly bitter taste and is very common in Italian pasta dishes. And broccolini, is the hybrid vegetable - a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It was developed in the early 1990’s by a Japanese seed company and is different in both flavor and texture and is often served with ginger and sesame. It is more tender and sweeter than both broccoli and broccoli rabe. The bunches are smaller and almost all the bunch is edible. I have used broccolini in this iconic Italian ‘riff’ because it is quicker to prepare than broccoli and less assertive in taste than broccoli rabe. Make it and see what you think.
Ingredients
2 bunches broccolini
½ cup finely minced Vidalia or sweet onion
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced or very finely minced
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over the finished dish
¾-pound/12 ounces fresh sweet Italian sausage, chicken or pork
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 can (15/16 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ to ½ cup chicken stock or water
optional: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
optional: ½-1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/3rd grated parmigiana cheese
Directions
Prep the ingredients. Trim any wilted leaves from each broccolini bunch. Cut off and discard the bottom inch of each stalk and then cut the whole stalk (with flowers) into 2-inch pieces. Continue with both bunches. Set aside.
Dice the onions and garlic. Set aside.
Cut open one end of the sausages and squeeze out the sausage meat into a bowl. Set aside. Discard the sausage casings.
Coarsely chop the fennel seeds and set aside. (Note: My colleague and Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, Joanne Chang has a genius hack for neatly accomplishing this task—sprinkle a FEW drops of water over the seeds on the cutting board before you chop them. The drops of water will keep them from flying all over the board.)
Open the can of cannellini beans and rinse in a strainer under cold running water. Shake off the excess water and set aside.
Chop the sage leaves if using.
Blanch the broccolini. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt (as if you were cooking pasta).
When the water is at a rolling boil, add the chopped broccolini and cook for 1 minute, after the water has come back to a boil. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, remove the cooked broccolini to a towel-lined sheet pan or large dish. Spread out the florets to cool.
Andiamo! (Let’s Go!) Put a medium sauté or casserole pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the diced onions to the pan. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir. Cook, covered over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions have softened and are translucent. Remove the cover and add the garlic and stir it into the onions. Next add the sausage meat to the pan. Add more olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Raise the heat a bit and cook the sausage, chopping it with a spoon or spatula into small pieces until cooked\ through.
Add the reserved beans to the pot. Stir to combine. Stir in the blanched broccolini. Add the sage (if using) and a pinch of hot red pepper flakes. Stir to combine everything. Add some chicken stock or water, start with ¼ cup. Heat through, using the added liquid to get the beans hot.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
To Serve: I ate this dish just as it was, with a bit of parmigiana sprinkled on top. It would also be delicious with a hunk of grilled, crusty Italian bread. And I have also eaten this with cooked orecchiette pasta and loads of parmigiana cheese.
Signup for our newsletter
South End Boston
1421 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
P: (617) 266-9911
F: 617) 266-9923
South Boston
230 West Broadway, Boston 02127
P: 617-269-4700
F: 617-269-4710
© 2025 • Foodies Markets • All Rights Reserved • Developed by Webstudio Boston
Broccolini, Sausage and White Beans by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
July 17, 2020
Let’s begin with a look at broccoli, broccolini and broccoli rabe and if you get them mixed up you aren’t alone. First, they are all ‘cruciferous ‘vegetables from the cabbage family. Broccoli, the most common has a very recognizable shape, with a tight head of florets and thick stalks.
Broccoli rabe has thinner stalks, is leafier and has a slightly bitter taste and is very common in Italian pasta dishes. And broccolini, is the hybrid vegetable - a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It was developed in the early 1990’s by a Japanese seed company and is different in both flavor and texture and is often served with ginger and sesame. It is more tender and sweeter than both broccoli and broccoli rabe. The bunches are smaller and almost all the bunch is edible. I have used broccolini in this iconic Italian ‘riff’ because it is quicker to prepare than broccoli and less assertive in taste than broccoli rabe. Make it and see what you think.
Ingredients
2 bunches broccolini
½ cup finely minced Vidalia or sweet onion
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced or very finely minced
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over the finished dish
¾-pound/12 ounces fresh sweet Italian sausage, chicken or pork
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 can (15/16 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ to ½ cup chicken stock or water
optional: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
optional: ½-1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/3rd grated parmigiana cheese
Directions
Prep the ingredients. Trim any wilted leaves from each broccolini bunch. Cut off and discard the bottom inch of each stalk and then cut the whole stalk (with flowers) into 2-inch pieces. Continue with both bunches. Set aside.
Dice the onions and garlic. Set aside.
Cut open one end of the sausages and squeeze out the sausage meat into a bowl. Set aside. Discard the sausage casings.
Coarsely chop the fennel seeds and set aside. (Note: My colleague and Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, Joanne Chang has a genius hack for neatly accomplishing this task—sprinkle a FEW drops of water over the seeds on the cutting board before you chop them. The drops of water will keep them from flying all over the board.)
Open the can of cannellini beans and rinse in a strainer under cold running water. Shake off the excess water and set aside.
Chop the sage leaves if using.
Blanch the broccolini. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt (as if you were cooking pasta).
When the water is at a rolling boil, add the chopped broccolini and cook for 1 minute, after the water has come back to a boil. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, remove the cooked broccolini to a towel-lined sheet pan or large dish. Spread out the florets to cool.
Andiamo! (Let’s Go!) Put a medium sauté or casserole pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the diced onions to the pan. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir. Cook, covered over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions have softened and are translucent. Remove the cover and add the garlic and stir it into the onions. Next add the sausage meat to the pan. Add more olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Raise the heat a bit and cook the sausage, chopping it with a spoon or spatula into small pieces until cooked\ through.
Add the reserved beans to the pot. Stir to combine. Stir in the blanched broccolini. Add the sage (if using) and a pinch of hot red pepper flakes. Stir to combine everything. Add some chicken stock or water, start with ¼ cup. Heat through, using the added liquid to get the beans hot.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
To Serve: I ate this dish just as it was, with a bit of parmigiana sprinkled on top. It would also be delicious with a hunk of grilled, crusty Italian bread. And I have also eaten this with cooked orecchiette pasta and loads of parmigiana cheese.
Broccolini, Sausage and White Beans by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
November 17, 2017
Let’s begin with a look at broccoli, broccolini and broccoli rabe and if you get them mixed up you aren’t alone. First, they are all ‘cruciferous ‘vegetables from the cabbage family. Broccoli, the most common has a very recognizable shape, with a tight head of florets and thick stalks.
Broccoli rabe has thinner stalks, is leafier and has a slightly bitter taste and is very common in Italian pasta dishes. And broccolini, is the hybrid vegetable - a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It was developed in the early 1990’s by a Japanese seed company and is different in both flavor and texture and is often served with ginger and sesame. It is more tender and sweeter than both broccoli and broccoli rabe. The bunches are smaller and almost all the bunch is edible. I have used broccolini in this iconic Italian ‘riff’ because it is quicker to prepare than broccoli and less assertive in taste than broccoli rabe. Make it and see what you think.
Ingredients
2 bunches broccolini
½ cup finely minced Vidalia or sweet onion
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced or very finely minced
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over the finished dish
¾-pound/12 ounces fresh sweet Italian sausage, chicken or pork
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 can (15/16 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ to ½ cup chicken stock or water
optional: 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
optional: ½-1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/3rd grated parmigiana cheese
Directions
Prep the ingredients. Trim any wilted leaves from each broccolini bunch. Cut off and discard the bottom inch of each stalk and then cut the whole stalk (with flowers) into 2-inch pieces. Continue with both bunches. Set aside.
Dice the onions and garlic. Set aside.
Cut open one end of the sausages and squeeze out the sausage meat into a bowl. Set aside. Discard the sausage casings.
Coarsely chop the fennel seeds and set aside. (Note: My colleague and Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, Joanne Chang has a genius hack for neatly accomplishing this task—sprinkle a FEW drops of water over the seeds on the cutting board before you chop them. The drops of water will keep them from flying all over the board.)
Open the can of cannellini beans and rinse in a strainer under cold running water. Shake off the excess water and set aside.
Chop the sage leaves if using.
Blanch the broccolini. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt (as if you were cooking pasta).
When the water is at a rolling boil, add the chopped broccolini and cook for 1 minute, after the water has come back to a boil. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, remove the cooked broccolini to a towel-lined sheet pan or large dish. Spread out the florets to cool.
Andiamo! (Let’s Go!) Put a medium sauté or casserole pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the diced onions to the pan. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir. Cook, covered over low heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions have softened and are translucent. Remove the cover and add the garlic and stir it into the onions. Next add the sausage meat to the pan. Add more olive oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Raise the heat a bit and cook the sausage, chopping it with a spoon or spatula into small pieces until cooked\ through.
Add the reserved beans to the pot. Stir to combine. Stir in the blanched broccolini. Add the sage (if using) and a pinch of hot red pepper flakes. Stir to combine everything. Add some chicken stock or water, start with ¼ cup. Heat through, using the added liquid to get the beans hot.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
To Serve: I ate this dish just as it was, with a bit of parmigiana sprinkled on top. It would also be delicious with a hunk of grilled, crusty Italian bread. And I have also eaten this with cooked orecchiette pasta and loads of parmigiana cheese.