Italian Sausage & Kale Pasta with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce
Italian Sausage & Kale Pasta with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
For the Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1 pint golden grape tomatoes, rinsed
- 1/2 white onion, small, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken stock, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces pasta, such as fusilli or cavatappi
- 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the kale by washing thoroughly and chopping into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns. Cook until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Add the chopped kale directly into the skillet with the browned sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the sausage and kale mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
While the sausage and kale cook, char the yellow bell pepper. Using tongs, hold the bell pepper directly over an open flame on a gas stove burner. Rotate the pepper until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides. Alternatively, you can place it under a broiler, turning frequently, until charred. Once charred, place the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to steam. This makes peeling easier.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
In the same skillet used for the sausage and kale, add the rinsed golden tomatoes and sliced white onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to burst and the onions soften and become translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if the pan seems too dry.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Once the charred bell pepper has cooled slightly, peel off most of the blackened skin. Remove the stem and seeds. Roughly chop the bell pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Transfer the cooked tomatoes and onions from the skillet to a blender or food processor. Add the chopped yellow bell pepper and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Blend until smooth, adding a little more chicken stock if needed to achieve a pourable sauce consistency.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet. Stir in the minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, herbs de Provence, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle in an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to package directions in a separate pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Add the cooked sausage and kale mixture back into the simmering sauce in the skillet. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce and sausage-kale mixture. Pour in the reserved 1/2 cup of pasta water. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Italian Sausage & Kale Pasta with Roasted Yellow Pepper Sauce
For the Pasta and Sauce
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1 pint golden grape tomatoes, rinsed
- 1/2 white onion, small, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken stock, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon herbs de Provence
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
- 8 ounces pasta, such as fusilli or cavatappi
- 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved from cooking pasta
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the kale by washing thoroughly and chopping into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns. Cook until no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Add the chopped kale directly into the skillet with the browned sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the sausage and kale mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
While the sausage and kale cook, char the yellow bell pepper. Using tongs, hold the bell pepper directly over an open flame on a gas stove burner. Rotate the pepper until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides. Alternatively, you can place it under a broiler, turning frequently, until charred. Once charred, place the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes to steam. This makes peeling easier.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
In the same skillet used for the sausage and kale, add the rinsed golden tomatoes and sliced white onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to burst and the onions soften and become translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if the pan seems too dry.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Once the charred bell pepper has cooled slightly, peel off most of the blackened skin. Remove the stem and seeds. Roughly chop the bell pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Transfer the cooked tomatoes and onions from the skillet to a blender or food processor. Add the chopped yellow bell pepper and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Blend until smooth, adding a little more chicken stock if needed to achieve a pourable sauce consistency.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet. Stir in the minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, herbs de Provence, and red pepper flakes. Drizzle in an additional tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to package directions in a separate pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Add the cooked sausage and kale mixture back into the simmering sauce in the skillet. Mix well to combine.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet with the sauce and sausage-kale mixture. Pour in the reserved 1/2 cup of pasta water. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 1 min