Careme

Ingredients

• Kroger® Country Pork Ground Sausage 16 oz (use ~12 oz; freeze the rest) $4.29 (sale)
• Pasta (rigatoni, penne, or shells) 8 oz (half a 1-lb box)
• Organic Kale (or Organic Lacinato Kale) 1 small bunch (about 4–5 packed cups chopped) $2.99
• Fresh Onions – Peruvian Gold Sweet Onion 1/2 medium onion, thin-sliced $5.49
• Simple Truth Organic® Garlic Bulbs 3 cloves, minced $2.79
• Olive oil 1 tbsp (only if sausage is very lean)
• Chicken broth (or pasta water) 3/4 cup (plus more pasta water as needed)
• Parmesan (or Pecorino) 1/2 cup finely grated, plus more to serve
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1/4 tsp
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, prep kale: strip leaves from stems and chop into bite-size pieces.
3. Brown sausage (stove): Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through. If the pan is dry, add up to 1 tbsp olive oil.
4. Add onion: Stir in sliced onion and cook 4–6 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized.
5. Add garlic + heat: Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Wilt kale: Add chopped kale plus 1/4 cup broth (or pasta water). Cover 2 minutes, then uncover and stir until kale is tender, 2–3 more minutes.
7. Make the light pan sauce: Add remaining broth. Bring to a simmer. Add drained pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Toss well.
8. Finish with cheese: Turn heat to low. Sprinkle in Parmesan while tossing until the liquid turns glossy and lightly thickened. Add more pasta water if needed for a silky coating.
9. Taste and adjust: Add black pepper. Salt only if needed (sausage and Parmesan are salty). Serve with extra Parmesan.