Pasta with Sweet Sausage and Creamy Kale

Ingredients

• 10 ounces gemelli pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 (3.5 ounce) links sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 tomato, diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ bunch kale, thick stems removed, leaves finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cups milk
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste (Optional)

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gemelli pasta until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite, about 11 minutes, stirring now and then. While the pasta cooks, heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the sausage and cook it until it’s nicely browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato, onion, and garlic, and sauté everything together for a few minutes until fragrant.

Step 2

Pour in the chicken broth and use a spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the kale and cook, tossing occasionally, until it’s wilted and tender, around 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3

Once the pasta is almost done, save about half a cup of the pasta water, then drain the rest. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook it for about a minute, whisking constantly. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking to keep the sauce smooth. Season with salt and pepper and keep cooking until the sauce thickens and starts to bubble, which should take 7 to 10 minutes. If the sauce feels too thick, stir in a bit of the reserved pasta water until it’s just right.

Step 4

Finally, pour the creamy sauce into the skillet with the sausage and kale, then add the drained pasta. Give everything a good toss so the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Serve it warm, topped with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.