Italian
Sausage Kale Orecchiette
Orecchiette with browned Italian sausage, wilted kale, and garlic in a light pan sauce. The little cups catch bits of sausage and greens.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Photo: sporkist (CC BY). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Orecchiette holds sausage crumbles in each cup.
- Kale softens in the pan without a separate pot.
- Pasta water and Parmesan finish the sauce.
- One skillet keeps cleanup small.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil orecchiette in salted water until al dente; reserve 3/4 cup pasta water and drain.
- 2
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
- 3
Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds.
- 4
Stir in kale, salt, and black pepper; cook 3 to 4 minutes until wilted.
- 5
Add pasta and pasta water; toss 2 minutes until a light sauce forms.
- 6
Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan, and serve.
Pro tips
- Use hot sausage if you want more heat, or mild for a gentler plate.
- Strip kale from tough stems so it cooks evenly.
- If the pan looks dry, add more pasta water before the cheese.
Easy substitutions
- Italian sausage
- chicken sausage or crumbled tempeh
- kale
- Swiss chard or baby spinach
- orecchiette
- small shells or cavatappi
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days in a sealed container.
Reheating
Skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, stirring until warmed through.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 54 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
Moderate · Stovetop, One Pan
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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