Enjoy this sweet and smoky sausage pasta with kale and peppers any night of the week or for a special treat whenever the weather is gloomy, this pasta dish will comfort you!
If it’s cold outside and you ask me what I want to eat, the answer will always be the same: pasta! There’s just something warm and comforting about a bowl of pasta. A good pasta dish has a mix of flavors and textures: vegetables, meat, and sauce, which is exactly what this dish has.
After having been gone for two weeks, I came home and made my yogurt lemon chicken and feta salad for lunch (I always post behind the scenes photos on Instagram) but then as the rain and cooler weather greeted me after work, all I wanted was sausage and kale pasta!
For this pasta dish I used Italian sausage. Pork sausage is one of those amazing meat products that are so versatile. You could serve an Italian sausage by itself on a bun, use it in breakfast casseroles, roast it up with some vegetables, or cook it with pasta.
I happened to have some fancy round pasta in my pantry (as pictured), but really any pasta would work for this dish. The thicker width wise the better for this recipe, something like a pappardelle or a tagliatelle would work nicely. You’ll make your pasta and while that is cooking away, you’ll make the sausage and vegetables.
I like small pieces of sausage in pasta, I don’t like chunks so big you can’t get more than just sausage on your fork, so I cut each link in half (long wise) and then again in half (long wise) and then chop it up into little pieces. After the sausages are cut you’ll simply fry it with some olive oil and garlic, and then as they start to brown, you’ll add in chopped peppers and kale.
This pasta is made with sausage, peppers, kale and marinara sauce.
To assemble the dish you’ll coat the pasta in marinara sauce, add the vegetables and sausage and stir. I like to serve pasta with a topping of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Sweet and Smokey Sausage Pasta with Kale and Peppers
Ingredients
- 8 3oz Italian Sausages, cut into little pieces (I've also used turkey sausages)
- 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic finely sliced
- 2 cups mini sweet peppers finely sliced (about 15-20 little peppers, or you could use 2 whole bell peppers)
- 1 lb kale chopped, cleaned, stems removed
- 1 lb pasta pappardelle or a tagliatelle
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce of your choice I used one with garlic and basil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a large frying pan add the olive oil then add in the Italian Sausage pieces and cook until browned (about 10 minutes), stirring/flipping occasionally (but not too often because you want the pieces to brown). Depending on the pan you use, you may need to add a little more oil before adding in the veggies.
- Add in the sweet pepper slices and kale and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, until the peppers start to get soft and the kale is vibrant in color and slightly wilted. I like to add a ladle full of water the pasta is boiling in to the sausage/veggies that acts as steaming the veggies and picks up all the yumminess from the bottom of the pan.
- Remove sausage and veggies from heat.
- When pasta is done cooking, strain, and return pasta to pot. Pour marinara over the pasta and stir, then add in the sausages and veggies and stir again.
- To serve sprinkle a little bit of Parmesan cheese over the pasta, enjoy!
This post was sponsored by Omaha Steaks, thank you for supporting the brands and products that make the SweetPhi blog possible, and as always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
Armen says
I whipped this up tonight! What a great, tasty and easy recipe to make – not only delicious but it’s visually appealing too! Thanks so much for sharing your creativity and passion!
Sweetphi says
I’m so glad you liked the recipe. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to come back and leave this lovely feedback, I truly appreciate it and it made my day!!
Sarah says
Wow, that looks delicious! I love sausage when it gets all browned and dark. Must try this!
Sweetphi says
I love crispy brown sausage as well, especially with pasta! I think you’d love this, and thanks for commenting 🙂
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
I could eat this meal every day!! I make something similar for my boys whenever I travel! Keeps so well!
Sweetphi says
Isn’t pasta with veggies and sausage the best? It’s definitely one of my all time favorites, and you’re so right, it keeps super well 🙂 thanks for the comment lovely lady!
andrea rentea says
This looks positively delicious, Amazing what you can do with sausage and healthy veggies. Thank you for beautiful photos.
Sweetphi says
I love adding fresh veggies to pasta, I make all sorts of combinations based on what I have on hand 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment!
Rebecca@Figs and Pigs says
Yum comfort in a bowl looks delicious . This pasta looks an interesting shape do you know what it is called?
NK says
If I remember correctly, I think it was fittingly called ‘Calamari’ 🙂
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for stepping in and answering this asap, love you 🙂
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your comment Rebecca, isn’t that pasta cool? Nick is correct, I think it was called ‘calamari’ shape, it it’s so fitting? It totally looks like calamari!
sparklie24 says
this looks AMAZING! I wanna try it!! 🙂 yummmmmy!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much girl, you know, every time I make sausage and peppers I always think of how we made dinner together 🙂 Miss you so much girl!
Little Cooking Tips says
How can someone -anyone- resist to this dish? What’s in this dish that isn’t amazing?:)
Loved the colors, the ingredients, the flavors and…the photos!:)
Exceptional work again Phi.
Congrats from both of us.
Panos and Mirella
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your kind words, truly means a lot. This is one of my favorite pasta dishes, and you’re right, what’s not amazing in this dish 🙂
wearenotmartha says
I want pasta all the time, no matter the weather! And this one looks especially tasty with all the kale and pretty colors 🙂
Sues
Sweetphi says
I want pasta all the time too, this is one of my favorites!!
Shawnna says
Oh I just love pasta to!! So yummy!! This dish would be so delish!!
Sweetphi says
This is one of my favorites Shawnna, I think you’d love it!
Suné Moolman says
I’m head over heels in love with this dish! And such beautiful colours! 🙂
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much, it’s one of my favorites 🙂