Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Kale

Why You Will Love This

There's nothing more comforting than serving a delicious, hearty meal at the end of a long day, especially on busy weeknights when ease and simplicity are a necessity.

• Ease - Just 30 minutes stand between you and this Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale.
• Simple - Just four ingredients are needed to create this satisfying dish.
• Flavor - This pasta is loaded with flavor in every bite with spicy sausage, hearty kale, and nutty Parmesan.

This pasta is a favorite of mine. Any dish that is big on flavor, easy to prepare, and completely satisfying is a dinner winner!

Ingredient Notes

This sausage and kale pasta may be short on ingredients, but it's definitely not short on flavor.

• Orecchiette is a small pasta shaped like an ear. Its slightly concave shape is ideal for capturing the sauce and the other bits of yumminess.
• Hot Italian sausage is bold and spicy. For less heat, substitute sweet Italian sausage. I prefer using bulk sausage and crumbling it as it cooks, so you get sausage in every bite.
• Kale is earthy and stands up well against the sausage and pasta. Spinach can also be used.
• Parmesan cheese adds a salty, nutty flavor. Pecorino Romano is another tasty option.

How to Buy, Store, and Prep Kale

Kale is a dark, leafy green in the cabbage family. It is known for its high nutritional value, which is due to its high antioxidant, fiber, and vitamin content. Kale can be eaten raw in salads and smoothies or cooked in soups and pasta dishes.

• Buying - Look for kale with dark, firm leaves and strong, moist stems.  Kale can be found in the refrigerated produce section of your supermarket. Curly kale and lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur or Tuscan kale) are most commonly found in supermarkets.
• Storing - Wash the kale after purchasing.  Shake off the excess water and wrap it in paper towels.  Store in a zipper-top bag, pressing out the excess air before sealing.  Store in the produce drawer of your refrigerator for 5-7 days.
• Prepping - Kale stems are tough and fibrous.  While they are edible when cooked, I prefer to remove the stems before adding kale to recipes.  To easily remove the stems, fold the kale leaf in half and run your knife along the stem, separating it from the leaves.  Discard the stems and chop the leaves.

Step-by-Step Instructions

See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.

1. Cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions, until al dente.  Reserve 1-1½ cups of the pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, cook and crumble the sausage.  Drain on a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 1-2 teaspoons of fat in the pan. 

3. Add the chopped kale to the pan along with ¼ cup of pasta water. Sauté until wilted, approximately 4-5 minutes.  

4. Add the sausage back to the pan.

5. Add the pasta, parmesan cheese, and the reserved pasta water, starting with ½ cup, stirring to create the sauce. Add additional pasta water as necessary.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serving ideas

Orecchiette pasta with sausage and kale is hearty enough to be a meal by itself. But, for larger appetites, serve with house salad and garlic Ciabatta bread.

Storing and reheating

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This pasta reheats well. Microwave individual portions until warm throughout. Garnish with extra grated Parmesan.