Orecchiette Pasta with Kale & Sausage

Creamy Sausage Pasta—Need We Say More?

Weeknights and pasta go together like peanut butter and jelly — a match made in heaven for so many reasons! This orecchiette pasta recipe is an easy sell to even the harshest dinnertime critic. It’s garlicky, creamy, and bright, and not to mention, this creamy kale pasta is suuuper easy. This recipe is the kind of thing most of us can pull together in even a really last-minute situation. Which is why we think it’s the best orecchiette recipe we’ve made to date. Fast, flavorful, and hearty, you know it’s going to be a big hit from the moment you start cooking. And that’s a weeknight feeling we’d all like to have a little more often!

What is Orecchiette?

We love these little pasta “ears,” also known as pasta orecchiette, because they really hold onto pasta sauce sooo nicely! Although they’re not shells, they look very similar and are made by pressing with your thumb to create a concave shape! Of course, you can use any pasta of your choice for this recipe but they’re ideal for holding chunkier sauces with pieces, which is why orecchiette with sausage and kale is perfect! We’ll let you in on a little secret: pasta keeps forever and is budget-friendly so we’ve always, always got at least a box or two (or 10) in the cupboard. And of course, it’s a pretty good blank slate! You can pretty much throw whatever is in your fridge or cupboard at a bowl of pasta and end up with something palatable—especially if you top it with lots of Parmesan cheese.

Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Kale — So Simple, The Ingredients are (Mostly) In the Name

This creamy sausage pasta recipe is pantry-friendly: just by reading the title, you’ll have a sense of what you’ll need to make it. You might have a lot of the ingredients—or, if you’re really lucky, all—around the house already, but if you don’t, you can find them all at your local grocery store. BTW, easy and fast doesn’t mean this recipe lacks in deliciousness. With plenty of garlic and a bright lemon cream sauce, it’s dressed to impress and bursting with goodness! It is definitely worthy of a date night in or even a dinner party. Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:

• Orecchiette (or any pasta you love!)

• Mild Italian sausage (feel free to spice it up with spicy Italian sausage)

• Fresh garlic

• Heavy cream

• Parmesan cheese

• Lemon

• Kale

What to Serve with this Easy Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale

While our orecchiette with sausage can be devoured all by itself, we like to enjoy it alongside a big Simple Italian Salad or a Simple Butter Lettuce Salad. Or, try a variety of roasted veggies such as Roasted Carrots, Perfectly Roasted Broccoli, or Roasted Zucchini with Parmesan. Crusty Sourdough Bread or Garlic Bread can sop up all the delicious flavor from the sauce. For date night, this pasta orecchiette pairs beautifully with a Campari Spritz or Moscow Mule. We suggest wrapping up the night with an Easy Tiramisu or Baileys Chocolate Bundt Cake.

How to Make This Easy, Yummy Orecchiette With Sausage and Kale

This is seriously the best sauce for orecchiette pasta: a spritz of lemon and a good handful of kale keep it from being overly rich or cloying. It comes together quickly for the ultimate dinner! Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to make this orecchiette recipe:

1. Cook the pasta in salted water and set it aside while you make the sauce.

2. Sauté the sausage until it’s cooked through.

3. Add the garlic and sauté it with the sausage just for another minute or so. Set the sausage aside.

4. Pour the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese into the pan and stir it over medium heat until it has thickened a bit.

5. Add salt, pepper, kale, and lemon juice and stir just until the kale has wilted.

6. Stir in the sausage, garlic, and pasta, and serve!

Our Favorite Easy Italian Sausage Pasta Recipes

When sausage orecchiette isn’t on the menu, but we still want something just as comforting and easy, we like to make:

• Baked Ziti

• Baked Gnocchi

• Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

• Baked Penne Alla Vodka

Tools You’ll Need For This Sausage Orecchiette Pasta

• Large stock pot

• Nonstick skillet or saucepan

• Sharp knife

• Colander

Creamy, Comforting Weeknight Ease

This dreamy, creamy weeknight pasta can be all yours in less than 30 minutes! Did you make it for yourself or family and friends? Let us know how you like it – share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!