Broccoli rabe is my favorite kind of broccoli. Its mildly distinctive bitterness is just plain delicious, so it pairs well with really any flavor you like. And its soft texture, when cooked properly, makes it a perfect vessel for any sauce you throw at it. I focus a lot on the texture of my food, and melt-in-your-mouth is personally my favorite one—and that’s broccoli rabe.
I pair it with the heavy-hitters: salty, spicy, zesty and garlicky. The castelvetrano olives add both buttery-sweet flavor, and crisp, meaty texture. And it’s my personal belief that spaghetti must have red pepper flakes, garlic and lemon zest, no matter the preparation. Actually that goes for all pasta.
I use one bunch of broccoli rabe for this recipe, but you could easily use two. This recipe calls for 5 cloves of garlic—though, of course, you could use fewer if you choose. If olives aren’t your thing—and I hear some people actually dislike them!—then capers or even just flaky sea salt would be natural substitutions.
The necessary tools for this recipe are two large pots in which to boil the broccoli rabe and cook the sauce, and another for cooking the pasta. I recommend using two, so that you may start the sauce just as the pasta finishes cooking. A large chef’s knife is also helpful for smashing the olives and removing their pits. Enjoy, and leave a comment below if you try it! Or tag me in a photo if you post it!
The pasta that comfort food dreams are made of. Melt-in-your-mouth broccoli rabe pairs beautifully with garlic, chili flakes, lemon zest and castelvetrano olives.
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
Step 1
Wash the broccoli rabe. Snip and discard the rough ends. Generously salt a large pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe once it boils, and boil it on medium heat for 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain. Chop roughly, and set aside.
Step 2
You will use the same pot to make the sauce, so use a separate pot to cook the pasta. Generously salt a large pot of water, and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the pasta, and stir it a few times to prevent clumping. Cook for 2-3 minutes fewer than is indicated on the packaging. This will keep it al dente when you cook it further in the sauce.
Step 3
As the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Use the back of a knife to crush the olives. Remove and discard the pits. Roughly chop the olives. Add the olive oil to your broccoli pot over low heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest and olives. Stir and ensure the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook for 2-3 minutes. You want the garlic to turn translucent and the olives to maintain some bite.
Step 4
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and immediately add it and the broccoli rabe to the sauce. Stir to coat and mix. Cook for 2 minutes. Top with olive oil to finish, and season with salt or more red pepper flakes to taste. Serve right away.
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