Cheesy Kale and Sausage Pasta

Cheesy Kale and Sausage Pasta

• 3 cups penne or rotini pasta, about 8 oz. dry pasta (I like to use red lentil pasta for extra protein)
• 2 T. butter or oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove or 1/2 cup minced garlic scapes
• 2 T. flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 3 oz kale, de-stemmed and torn into small pieces (if you don't have a scale to measure, use about half of a bag from Glory Garden)
• 1/2 lb cooked ground beef sausage
• 1 tomato, chopped
• A handful of minced parsley, basil, or oregano.
• 1 cup grated cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat butter or oil in a large sauce pan.  Saute the onions until golden and tender. If using garlic scapes, cook them together with the onions until tender. OR if using a garlic clove, add when the onions are done cooking and saute briefly until fragrant. 

Add the flour and cook for a minute or two.  Add the milk gradually, stirring out any lumps. 

When thickened, add the salt, pepper, kale, sausage, tomatoes, herbs, and cook until the kale has wilted and reduced in size.

Add the cooked pasta and cheese.  Mix and heat through. 

Enjoy! 

Serves 4-6. 

Recipe feedback: "Our family loved this! All of us—even V :) I only subbed broth for the milk. Really, really good and definitely will make again." ~Katie O.