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Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage

Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage balances tender pasta with the heat of Italian sausage and the peppery freshness of arugula. A shower of Parmigiano-Reggiano melts in, creating a silky, savory finish that clings to every bite. It’s a cozy weeknight dinner that feels special enough for casual entertaining.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook25 mins
  • Serves2
  • DifficultyEasy
Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

46 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
53 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
5 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
90 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

17
Heart Health
68
Metabolic
35
Digestive
21
Inflammatory
40
Performance
45
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Assemble the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Warm olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until it softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

  3. 3

    Pour 1 1/2 cups chicken broth into the sausage mixture and bring it to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

  4. 4

    Add the orecchiette pasta; cook and stir it in the hot broth, adding the remaining broth as the liquid is absorbed, until the pasta is cooked through and most of the broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

  5. 5

    Stir the arugula into the sausage–pasta mixture until the arugula wilts.

  6. 6

    Ladle the pasta into bowls and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

About This Recipe

Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage is an Italian dinner recipe made with 8 ingredients. It takes about 40 mins, serves 2, and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Baby Arugula, Diced Onion, Italian Pork Sausage, and Olive Oil. Each serving provides about 893.19 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage?
It is an Italian recipe made with 8 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage made of?
The main ingredients are Baby Arugula, Diced Onion, Italian Pork Sausage, Olive Oil, Orecchiette. The full list of 8 is above.
What goes well with Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage?
Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage?
About 40 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 25 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 893.19 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 8 ingredients and 6 steps.
Is Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage healthy?
Skillet Orecchiette with Spicy Sausage has an easyChef Pro health score of 46/100. Per serving, it provides 893.19 calories and 42.11 g of protein, or 84% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1743.01 mg (76% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 14.18 g (71% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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