Sausage and Kale Pasta

5 from 8 votes

This delicious Sausage and Kale Pasta is made with hearty chicken sausage, dark leafy kale, and juicy sun-dried tomatoes. A simple pesto butter sauce ties it all together for a comforting and cozy finish.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 540

Author Jessica Kwon

Ingredients

6 oz pasta about 2½ cups
1 tablespoon cooking oil I use avocado oil
2 links chicken sausage thinly sliced
¼ small onion diced; about ⅔ cup
3-4 cloves garlic minced
3 handfuls shredded kale large stems removed; about 3 packed cups
½ cup chicken bone broth Low or no sodium recommended
2 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
⅓ cup pesto
Salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 1 minute less than box instructions and reserve ½ cup pasta water. Then drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat half the cooking oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the sausage in a single layer and sear each side for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Turn heat down to medium and add remaining oil. Add onion along with a pinch of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to get translucent, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds. If the bottom of your skillet is browning, add a splash of broth and use your wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits.
Add kale, chicken broth, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until kale turns bright green and starts to wilt down, about 2 minutes.
Turn heat down to low. Add cooked pasta and sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, butter, pesto, and a small splash of pasta water. Stir until butter melts and everything is evenly coated (if it looks dry, pour in a small splash of pasta water as needed). Season to taste.

Notes

Use any type or shape of pasta you'd like. If using an alternative pasta (like chickpea or lentil), cook the pasta very al dente since it's more delicate. I recommend boiling it about 2-3 minutes less than package instructions.

Nutrition