Creamy Sausage and Kale Pasta (30-Minutes)

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Creamy Sausage and Kale Pasta is a quick and easy weeknight dinner made in just 30 minutes! It's restaurant-quality comfort food made with basic ingredients found in most grocery stores, such as Italian sausage, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Impress your family and friends with this well-balanced meal.

 

30-Minute Sausage and Kale Pasta

This creamy pasta dish is flavor-packed, easy to make, and looks like the main course from a fine Italian restaurant. Everything is cooked in just 30 minutes on the stovetop. The simplicity of this recipe makes it a perfect dinner choice for busy weeknights.  And, sausage kale pasta makes a great presentation (with minimal effort) so you can certainly make this quick and easy Italian recipe for special occasions to treat your family, friends, and guests. It is sure to become a family favorite!  If you like more Italian sausage pasta inspiration, check out 30-minute one-pot sausage rigatoni with spinach and 30-minute creamy sausage tortellini with tomatoes, spinach, and mozzarella.

The ingredients

• Farfalle (or bow-tie pasta) is a staple food of Italian cuisine. This short-cut pasta goes well with sausage! You can also use penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.
• Spicy Italian sausage. Use spicy variety to add flavor or use mild or sweet sausage. I used sausage in casings, removed it from the casings, and crumbled it.
• Kale. I used about 10 oz of fresh kale, which I chopped finely. You can also use spinach or a mix of baby spinach + peppery arugula.
• Sun-dried tomatoes. I recommend using sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil (sold in a glass jar). They are softer and have a better texture than the ones that are not in oil. Drain olive oil well. I used julienned sun-dried tomatoes so I didn't even have to slice them.
• Garlic adds pungency and aroma to any recipe, especially pasta dishes!
• Seasonings. Use Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provance. Dried oregano would work, too.
• Heavy cream can be replaced with half-and-half.
• Parmesan cheese. I used a cup of Parmesan cheese that I grated myself as the first step in the recipe. It's best to use parmesan cheese at room temperature as it will melt better into the sauce.
• Red pepper flakes. Don't overdo them - just a sprinkle will do.

Best pasta to use

While sausage kale pasta will work great with any pasta shapes, I recommend short-cut pasta, such as farfalle (or bow-tie), fusilli (spiral pasta), penne, rigatoni, or orecchiette.

Kale nutrition

Kale is a highly nutritious vegetable packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. This green cruciferous vegetable is closely related to my other favorite veggies, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower. Kale is rich in vitamins C and K and is a great source of beta-carotene (an antioxidant that the body can convert into vitamin A).

What kind of sausage to use?

• Crumbled spicy Italian sausage. I used 15 oz of crumbled spicy Italian sausage in casings (casings removed). This recipe tastes good with some spice in it! Spicy sausage is a must in my book!
• Italian sausage links. You can also use Italian sausage in casings. I would remove the casings and slice the sausage.
• Chicken or turkey sausage is another great option.
• Beyond Sausage, a brand is a great option for a plant-based, vegetarian version.

What can you use instead of sun-dried tomatoes?

• Use fresh tomatoes without making any changes to the recipe. Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, etc.
• Store-bought tomato-based sauce for pasta that comes in a glass jar. You can use any kind you like: tomato basil, roasted tomatoes, arrabbiata.
• Canned tomatoes. Diced, fire-roasted, or crushed tomatoes.

How to make it gluten-free

You can easily make sausage kale pasta gluten-free by using any kind of GF pasta - so many options are available! This is a great recipe for fiber-rich gluten-free pasta, such as chickpea or lentil pasta.

How to make it dairy-free

Use unsweetened coconut milk, oat, or almond milk instead of cream. Use vegan mozzarella shreds instead of Parmesan cheese.

How to make it meatless

Use plant-based Italian sausage, such as Beyond Meat or Impossible sausage brands. To spice them up, add smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.

Cooking tips and recommendations

• Use a large high-sided heavy-bottomed skillet.  It's the best kind of pan for making one-pan pasta dinners on the stovetop.  Thinner pans will cause the sauce, sausage, and pasta to stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Use red wine. Add a splash of dry red wine (about ¼ cup) to the creamy sausage and kale pasta sauce, if you like. It will add richness and flavor.
• Spice it up! This is the kind of recipe that benefits from a bit of heat. Use red pepper flakes to spice up this dish, especially if the sausage is not spicy.
• Use crumbled sausage or remove casings from the sausage and slice the sausage into small pieces. Do this even if you use sausage links. This will make the texture of the whole dish much better!
• Toppings. Top sausage and kale pasta with grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, thyme, or parsley.
• Salt. Usually, most sausages are quite salty, so don't add any salt at all or add very little.

Storage and reheating tips

• Fridge. Store sausage and kale pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer. I don't recommend freezing this, as cream-based sauces tend to separate once you thaw them.
• Reheat on the stovetop. I recommend reheating the leftovers on the stovetop for the best results. After being refrigerated, the creamy sauce will thicken. Reheat it slowly, over low-medium heat in a high-sided skillet on the stovetop. Do not overheat - or the sauce will separate and turn greasy. When using this method, add a small amount of heavy cream, half-and-half, milk, or broth to thin out the sauce when reheating.

What to serve with sausage kale pasta

• Bread. Serve this easy recipe with something equally simple, such as a slice of store-bought, warm Italian bread, garlic bread, baguette, or olive bread loaf. A slice of warm bread would be delicious to dip into the creamy sauce.
• Simple salad. Because sausage kale pasta has a rich and creamy sauce, I highly recommend serving a fresh salad to balance out all that rich creaminess. I would suggest a basic spinach or arugula salad, such as one of the below:
• Apple Spinach Salad with Maple-Lime Mustard Dressing
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Pecans, Feta, and Balsamic Dressing
• Arugula Salad with Apples, Pears, and Cashews

Other sausage pasta recipes you might like

• 30-Minute One-Pan Mac and Cheese with Sausage and Bell Peppers
• Creamy Sausage Rigatoni (30-Minute, One-Pan)
• Sausage Orecchiette with Tomatoes and Spinach
• Italian Sausage Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Spinach, and Mushrooms
• 30-Minute One-Pan Italian Sausage Gnocchi
• Creamy Sausage Tortellini with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Cheese Sauce