Description
Hearty Italian sausage and kale rigatoni brings rustic comfort to your dinner table with robust flavors and satisfying textures. Mediterranean ingredients combine perfectly, creating a soul-warming pasta dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 pound (454 grams) Italian sausage (sweet or spicy)
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 1 pound (454 grams) rigatoni pasta
- 1 large bunch kale (stems removed and leaves chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
Seasonings and Finishing Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a generously salted pot of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook rigatoni until perfectly al dente, maintaining a slight firmness. Set aside 1 cup of starchy pasta water before straining.
- In a spacious skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Liberate sausage from its casing and crumble directly into the pan. Sauté for approximately 8-10 minutes, periodically stirring, until meat achieves a rich golden-brown color and is thoroughly cooked.
- Introduce minced garlic to the sausage, allowing it to release its aromatic essence for roughly 60 seconds. Incorporate chopped kale, continuing to cook for 3-4 minutes until the leafy greens soften and collapse.
- Transfer cooked rigatoni into the skillet, combining with sausage and kale. Drizzle reserved pasta water and remaining olive oil, gently tossing to create a silky coating. Sprinkle grated Parmesan throughout, seasoning with salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes for a subtle kick.
Notes
- Swap sausage with plant-based alternatives like Beyond Meat crumbles for a vegetarian version that maintains the hearty flavor profile.
- Use gluten-free rigatoni to make this dish celiac-friendly without compromising the robust texture and taste.
- Rinse kale thoroughly before chopping to remove any grit and ensure a clean, fresh vegetable base for the pasta.
- For a lighter option, drain excess sausage fat and use low-fat Parmesan to reduce overall calorie content while preserving the dish’s delicious essence.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg