Pasta with Kale & Sausage Recipe - easy & under $20

When I have the time, I love to cook! So I thought why not share some of my favorite recipes! 

For those of you that don't know, I'm full Italian and I am blessed to have a great mother who is an amazing cook!  This is one of my mom's favorite recipes that she showed me how to make recently. 

This is an easy almost one pot meal for under $20. It's pretty healthy too! 

Ingredients:

- 2 bunches of kale (or you can use one as I only used one)

- 1 onion, chopped fine

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

- 350 g mild sausage (uncooked - the one I got is mild as I don't like spicy but if you like spicy go for it! Also, as for the seasoned sausage as it adds flavour)

- 375 g/ 1 can of canned chicken broth

- 300g or 454g whole wheat penne (you can use any type of pasta you want or size. The size I used was the one box and that was enough for about 5 servings)

Step 1: Rinse the kale. 

Step 2: Break the kale leaves off the stems.  Rip the kale into bite sizes pieces.  Dry all the kale or put them in a salad spinner until the kale is pretty dry. Put the kale in a large bowl and set aside. 

Step 3: Chop the onion & garlic so the pieces are small/fine

Step 4: Bring a large pot of water to a boil (for the pasta) on maximum heat

step 5: once the pot comes to a boil add one small teaspoon of salt

Step 6: add the pasta to the salted water and turn heat to in between max-medium heat and stir occasionally. Cook for 11-12 minutes.  

Step 7: while the Pasta is cooking, put the onions and garlic (both chopped fine) and raw sausage meat into a large deep frying pan with some oil at maximum heat. 

Step 8: With a wooden spoon break up the sausage so the pieces are fine. Also, turn the heat down to in between medium-maximum heat. 

Step 9: cook the meat until the sausage is brown and you don't see anymore red/pink. 

Step 10: Your pasta should be done now. Take it off the heat and strain the pasta with a strainer until all the liquid is gone. Put the pasta back in the pot and set aside 

Step 11: slowly start adding all of the kale to the meat in the frying pan. 

Step 12: stir the kale and meat so the kale goes down and you can mix it. 

Step 13: add the one can of chicken broth to the meat. Stir then add one cup from the can broth of water to the meat. 

Step 14: Stir, then lower the heat to in between Low-medium heat and place a lid on top. Simmer for 10 minutes.

 While this is simmering you can clean the dishes or do sometimes like I would do and put on some music and dance around the kitchen for a bit! Haha ;)...

step 15: your meat is done. This is what is should sort of look like. (I forgot to dry my kale so yours should have a little less liquid). 

Step 16: add the meat from the frying pan to the pasta and stir. You can sprinkle cheese on top. I would recommend something not too salty and something like pecorino Romano or manchego cheese. 

If you make this pasta, I'd love to hear your experience and whether you liked it and if you modified it! 

Enjoy! xoxo