Cozy up with a bowl of cavatelli—tender pasta tossed in a velvety Gouda-Parmesan sauce with juicy sausage and crisp-tender broccoli. Years of flavor expertise went into perfecting this recipe for a meal that delivers creamy, comforting perfection every time. Packed with step-by-step photos, tips, and delicious variations, this post makes it easy to create a foolproof, restaurant-worthy meal at home.

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cavatelli up close in a bowl showing the texture of the pasta

What is Cavatelli?

Cavatelli is a type of small, hand-shaped Italian pasta that looks like small hot dog buns or shells with a slight hollow in the center. The name comes from the Italian word cavato, meaning “carved” or “hollowed out,” referring to the groove that helps catch sauce. Traditionally made from just semolina flour and water, cavatelli is often served with hearty sauces like broccoli rabe and sausage, rich tomato ragùs, or creamy ricotta-based toppings, as the shape holds onto flavor exceptionally well.

Why You’ll Love Cavatelli Recipe

This swoon-worthy dish is designed with detailed tips and techniques to ensure that every component is perfectly cooked for maximum flavor. Here’s why you’ll love it:

Restaurant-Quality Flavor: The chewy cavatelli is complemented by a velvety sauce infused with basil, oregano, parsley, and chicken bouillon, delivering a tantalizing tapestry of flavor that tastes like your favorite Italian trattoria, but is easy enough to make in your own kitchen.
Creamy, flavorful sauce: A velvety blend of broth, half-and-half, Gouda, and Parmesan that clings to every bite of pasta.
A lighter yet luxurious sauce: The sauce is made with a roux (flour cooked in some butter), which allows us to use chicken broth and half and half instead of heavy cream. If you want to go even lighter, you can swap the half-and-half for evaporated milk.
Protein and veggie-packed: Italian sausage adds savory depth and satisfying heartiness while fresh broccoli brings brightness, texture, and balance to the rich sauce.
Versatile and Customizable: You can keep the recipe simple, or use it as a springboard for all sorts of add-ins! Easily swap proteins, add vegetables, or adjust seasoning to suit your taste.

cavatelli recipe in skillet with broccoli and sausage

Cavatelli Pasta Recipe Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Cavatelli: Look for fresh or dried cavatelli in the pasta aisle of most grocery stores, at Italian specialty markets, or online (this is the one pictured from Amazon). Please ensure you purchase 16 ounces, which is typically equivalent to two bags.
Italian sausage: Please use hot Italian Sausage. It will not make your pasta spicy, just flavorful.
Broccoli: I prefer fresh broccoli florets over frozen, but feel free to use frozen if that’s what you like. You will need to cook them a little longer.
Half and Half: This is a mixture of half milk and half heavy cream, so feel free to create your own.
You may also use regular milk or evaporated milk whisked with cornstarch (directions in the recipe)-the recipe will be tasty, just not quite as decadent.
Parmesan Cheese: The cheese infuses the sauce with its fantastic salty nuttiness. For best results, use ONLY freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It is much more flavorful and melts into silky oblivion, unlike powdered or pre-shredded cheese.
Chicken Broth: Use reduced-sodium chicken broth to control the amount of salt in the sauce and allow room for adding chicken bouillon.
Chicken Bouillon: One teaspoon of chicken bouillon imparts a complex, savory goodness to the sauce. You may use granulated chicken bouillon, bouillon cubes (crushed), or a base (like Better Than Bouillon or Zoup!). Add the bouillon to the sauce without dissolving it in water first.
Flour: This creates a roux, which thickens the sauce. It also allows us to use half chicken broth instead of all half and half.
Onion: Use a small yellow onion, or you may substitute with one teaspoon of onion powder on those lazy days.
Garlic: I use six cloves of garlic, and it is divine, but feel free to use less if you prefer. I love my garlic press for mincing garlic in seconds!
Spices: The recipe is seasoned with dried parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. If you wish to use fresh herbs, you’ll need three times the amount of dried.

cavatelli ingredients: cavatelli, Italian sausage, broccoli, half and half, chicken broth, Parmesan, onion, garlic, Gouda

Tools For Making Cavatelli Pasta

If you’re making cavatelli pasta from scratch, you’ll need the following:

•Cavatelli board or gnocchi board: A small wooden board with ridges that helps create the signature grooves in the pasta.
•Butter knife or bench scraper: For shaping and cutting the dough into small pieces before rolling.
•OR Cavatelli maker (hand-crank machine): Speeds up the process by rolling and shaping the pasta for you, beneficial if making large batches.
•Rolling pin: Used to flatten the dough to the correct thickness before cutting.
•Flour shaker or sifter: Keeps the dough pieces lightly floured so they don’t stick while shaping.

Best flour for Cavatelli Noodles

•Semolina flour: The traditional choice, made from durum wheat, which gives cavatelli their signature chewy bite and helps them hold up to hearty sauces.
•00 flour: Ultra-fine Italian flour that makes a softer, silkier dough if you prefer a more tender noodle.
•All-purpose flour: A convenient option that works well if you don’t have specialty flours, producing a balanced texture that’s not too soft or too firm.

cavatelli recipe with sausage and broccoli in a skillet

How to Make Cavatelli

Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Step 1: Make the Noodles (Optional). Use store bought cavatelli or to make from scratch:
Make the dough: Combine semolina flour with water and a pinch of salt, then knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and let it rest to relax the gluten.
Roll the dough: Divide into portions, then roll each into long ropes about the thickness of a pencil. Keep the rest covered to prevent drying.
Cut into pieces: Slice the ropes into small, bean-sized pieces.
Shape the cavatelli: Use your thumb, a butter knife, or a gnocchi board to press and drag each piece, creating the signature hollow and ridges.

Step 2: Cook Broccoli. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the broccoli florets. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a sieve or slotted spoon and place in an ice bath.

showing how to make cavatelli by boiling the broccoli in the pasta water

Step 3: Cook Cavatelli. Bring the same pot of water back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain. Toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil if you’re not adding it to the sauce immediately to prevent it from sticking. Meanwhile:

showing how to make cavatelli by boiling it in water

Step 4: Cook Sausage. Cook while crumbling the sausage in a large braiser or Dutch oven until cooked through. Remove it to a plate using a slotted spoon.

showing how to make cavatelli by cooking sausage

Step 5: Cook Aromatics. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, then sauté for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

showing how to make cavatelli by sautéing onions and garlic, then adding flour and cooking

Step 6: Make Sauce: Reduce the heat to low, then slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half, stirring until smooth while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the chicken bouillon, spices, and cooked sausage. Increase the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened, stirring frequently.

a collage showing how to make cavatelli by stirring in the sausage, spices, and half and half and simmering until thickened

Step 7: Add Cheese: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Gouda and Parmesan cheese, a handful at a time, until melted.

showing how to make cavatelli by stirring in cheese

Step 8: Add Broccoli and Pasta: Stir in the pasta and broccoli until well coated. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water gradually until reaching the desired consistency.

showing how to make cavatelli by stirring in the pasta and broccoli

showing how to make cavatelli by garnishing with fresh parsley and freshly cracked pepper

Tips For Making Cavatelli Pasta

Use plenty of salted water: Dried cavatelli need a generous pot of boiling, salted water so they cook evenly and absorb flavor.
Be patient cooking the pasta! Dried cavatelli takes quite a long time to cook all the way through, but it will cook, so, be patient and cook on!
Stir pasta frequently. This will help it cook evenly.
To test for doneness: Remove a piece of pasta, run it under cold water and take a bite.
Thin the sauce if needed. The sauce will thicken as it stands, so you may wish to stir in a little reserved pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Season to taste. I left a little wiggle room in this recipe to add salt and pepper. Adjust the seasonings after you add the Parmesan.

Cavatelli Recipe Variations

Protein swaps: Use sweet Italian sausage for less heat, ground chicken or turkey for a leaner option, or shrimp/chicken breast for a lighter, protein-packed twist.
Tip! Italian sausage is typically seasoned with Italian seasonings, primarily fennel. If you swap the sausage for turkey, be sure to add some fennel, Italian herbs, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Add vegetables: Add vegetables like cherry tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, etc., and sauté them after you’ve cooked the shallots for a few minutes. You can also add spinach to the sauce after it’s thickened.
Different cheeses: Try Fontina, Gruyère, or sharp white cheddar for a new cheesy personality.
Spice it Up: Add additional red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Lighter sauce: Replace half-and-half with evaporated milk or whole milk plus a cornstarch slurry,
Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut cream or a dairy-free cream alternative, and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.

top view of cavatelli noodles with broccoli and sausage

How to Serve Cavatelli Noodles

This Cavatelli recipe is rich, creamy, and indulgent, so pairing it with the right sides can elevate your meal:

Side Salad: Pair with a crisp garden salad, Caesar salad, Fall salad, or pear salad.
Roasted Vegetables: Pop some roasted asparagus, roasted carrots, or roasted Brussels sprouts in the oven while the pasta cooks.
Bread: Serve with warm, crusty garlic bread, soft, buttery focaccia, or we’re obsessed with these garlic breadsticks to mop up the sauce.

cavatelli and broccoli in a creamy sauce with sausage

Storing Leftover Cavatelli and Broccoli

The pasta should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. I do not recommend freezing the pasta because the creamy sauce can break and become a funny texture.

How to Reheat Cavatelli Pasta

Microwave: Transfer small portions to a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir and continue heating at 15-second intervals.

Stove: Transfer to a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring often. You may want to add a splash of milk if the pasta seems dry.

cavatelli and broccoli recipe being served in a dish with fresh parsley

Looking for more Pasta Recipes?

Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta
Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Lemon Chicken Orzo
Jerk Chicken Pasta
Chipotle Chicken Pasta
Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Cajun Chicken Pasta

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

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Ingredients

1 pound cavatelli
5 cups broccoli florets, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage or hot turkey sausage
1 small onion, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half and half- or milk whisked with 1 TBS cornstarch or evaporated milk mixed with 2 tsps cornstarch
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (granulated, crushed cube or base)
1 tsp EACH dried basil, dried parsley
1/2 tsp EACH salt, dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper

ADD LATER

6 ounces (1 ½ packed cups) freshly shredded Gouda (may sub cheddar)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (use micro grater)
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Cook Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, season with salt, then add the broccoli florets. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a sieve or slotted spoon and place in an ice bath.
Cook Pasta: Bring the same pot of water back to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions (it can take quite a long time, so be patient and stir occasionally). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain. Toss the pasta with a drizzle of olive oil if you're not adding it to the sauce immediately to prevent it from sticking together. Meanwhile:
Cook Sausage: Heat the oil in a large saucepan/braiser or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it until it is completely cooked through. Remove it to a plate using a slotted spoon.
Sauté Aromatics: Add a drizzle of oil to the drippings if they appear dry. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, then sauté for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Add Sauce Ingredients: Reduce the heat to low, then slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half, stirring until smooth while scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the chicken bouillon, spices, and cooked sausage. Increase the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened, stirring often, for 5-10 minutes.
Add Cheeses: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the Gouda and Parmesan cheese, a handful at a time, until melted.
Add Broccoli and Pasta: Stir in the pasta and broccoli until well coated. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water gradually until reaching the desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

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Cavatelli and Broccoli Recipe

PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER

Watch How to Make Cavatelli Pasta

What is Cavatelli?

Why You’ll Love Cavatelli Recipe