Casarecce is a short pasta type from Sicily.
Here, we show you how to make them with a quick, healthy, and tasty sauce with broccoli rabe, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.
You can make this casarecce recipe in less than 30 minutes, top it with feta, ricotta, or a non-dairy cheese alternative, and have it as a delicious lunch or dinner.
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian and vegan diet if using non-dairy cheese.
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What is casarecce pasta?
Casarecce is a short pasta type from Sicily. Its twisted shape vaguely recalls a rolled-up piece of parchment paper.
Like trofie, orecchiette, and cavatelli, casarecce are made with durum wheat semolina flour and water and don’t contain eggs, making them suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
It is possible that the Sicilians learned this particular pasta-making technique from the Arabs who occupied the island from 827 to 1091.
Traditionally, the pasta dough was wrapped around the stem of a plant to give it a twisted shape.
Nowadays, casarecce are mostly made by machines and can be found in most supermarkets from the United States to Australia.
You can make casarecce with your favorite sauce, pesto, or vegetables.
Here, we show you a simple, healthy, and delicious recipe from southern Italy.
It’s with broccoli rabe, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives, topped with feta or non-dairy feta cheese.
Ingredients and substitutions for casarecce pasta
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Casarecce: substitute rotini, fusilli, orecchiette, cavatelli, trofie, penne, or any other short pasta type. Use gluten-free pasta to make the recipe without gluten.
- Broccoli rabe: substitute rapini, broccolini, broccoli florets, chopped kale, and spinach.
- Olives: we use olive taggiasche from Italy. Greek Kalamata olives are also a good option.
- Sun-dried tomatoes in oil add a beautiful savory flavor.
- Garlic: we recommend fresh garlic.
- Red pepper flakes: substitute a finely chopped fresh chili.
- Extra virgin olive oil: substitute regular olive oil.
- Salt and black pepper: we recommend sea salt or kosher salt.
- Feta cheese: substitute non-dairy feta, ricotta, non-dairy-ricotta, or vegan cheese.
How to cook casarecce pasta
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Start with the sauce
Trim and discard the thicker stems of the broccoli rabe. Chop the leaves and thinner stems into small chunks and rinse them with water. Set aside in a colander to drain.
Tip: If you use broccolini or broccoli florets, you simply have to rinse them.
In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add crushed garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute without burning the garlic.
Add the broccoli rabe to the pan, season with salt and black pepper, and sauté on medium heat for 3 minutes.
Now, add 1/2 cup water, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes or until soft.
Check once or twice to ensure the pan isn’t dry, and add more water if necessary.
When the broccoli rabe is cooked, remove the garlic, stir in the olives and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and cook for about 1 minute.
Cook and add the pasta.
Cook the casarecce according to the package instructions minus one minute in a large pot with plenty of salted boiling water.
Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and add it to the pan with the vegetables.
Add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and toss the pasta in the sauce for about 1 minute or until most of the liquid on the pan is gone.
Tip: When you drain the casarecce, they should be slightly undercooked so that you have time to toss them with the sauce without overcooking them.
Turn the heat off and add most of the feta or non-dairy feta, crumbling it as you add it. Toss for a few seconds, then taste and adjust for salt.
You can add olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and optionally a grating of lemon zest.
Serve the pasta on a plate with a final sprinkling of crumbled feta or non-dairy feta on top.
Variations
Orecchiette with broccoli rabe
We tweaked this recipe by adding vegan sausage.
This twist on traditional orecchiette with broccoli rabe is a quick, easy, and delicious recipe for trying something new.
Here’s our orecchiette with broccoli rabe recipe.
Serving suggestions
Tips
Undercook the pasta by one to two minutes. We recommend undercooking it so you can toss it in the sauce without overcooking it. The pasta will meld with the flavor of the sauce and keep nice and al dente (with a bite).
Cook in plenty of heavily salted water: water for cooking pasta should be plenty and should be well salted. Use a large pot, and don’t be shy with the salt.
Here are some guidelines for cooking pasta to perfection:
- 8 ounces of pasta (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people.
- 12 ounces of pasta (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people.
- 1 pound of pasta (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make ahead: You could serve this pasta recipe at room temperature, like a pasta salad.
In this case, drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water for 10 seconds to prevent overcooking.
Toss it with the other ingredients in a bowl off the heat.
Taste and adjust for salt and cheese, and you have a delicious meal-prep-friendly recipe that is also good for picnics and potlucks.
Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 24 hours.
Freezer: This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Reheat: We reheat pasta in the microwave for 2 minutes. Alternatively, do so on a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
More easy pasta recipes
For more delicious pasta ideas, Louise made a compilation of our 40 easy pasta recipes.
Casarecce pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed.
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes + black pepper to taste
- 1½ pounds broccoli rabe fresh or frozen, substitute broccoli florets or broccolini.
- ¾ teaspoon salt or more to taste.
- 12 ounces casarecce pasta + 3 quarts/12 cups/3 Liters water and 1½ tablespoons/21 grams sea salt.
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil chopped.
- ½ cup pitted olives Kalamata or Taggiasche are best.
- 4 ounces feta cheese or more to taste. Substitute non-dairy feta.
Instructions
- Skip this step if your broccoli rabe is washed and ready to use or frozen.Trim the thicker stems of 1½ pounds broccoli rabe.Rinse the leaves and florets and chop them into smaller pieces.
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, add 2 cloves garlic (crushed) and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute.Add the broccoli rabe, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ cup water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary.When cooked, remove the garlic, stir in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (chopped), and ½ cup pitted olives
- In the meantime, cook 12 ounces casarecce pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water per package instructions minus 1 minute.Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan.Add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and toss the pasta in the sauce for about 1 minute or until most of the liquid on the pan is gone.
- Turn the heat off and add most of the 4 ounces feta cheese or non-dairy feta, crumbling it as you add it. Toss for a few seconds, then taste and adjust for salt.You can add more olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper, and optionally a grating of lemon zest.Serve the pasta on a plate with a final sprinkling of crumbled feta or non-dairy feta on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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