9 years ago

Quick weeknight meal: Sausage & Kale Feta Pasta

You can make this creamy, satisfying pasta from Twin Cities blogger greens & chocolate in less than 30 minutes!

This time of year, I’m always looking for quick weeknight meals that I can make after yet another trip to the mall for holiday shopping or an evening broomball game. Somehow every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas the time seems to fly and the days are jam packed with things to do and people to see. Plus, don’t the nights just seem so much shorter when it gets dark at 5:00?! Even on nights that I don’t have anything going on, I’m in my PJs within 15 minutes of getting home. I’m not the only one who does this, right?

Anyway, back to the food. This pasta was just what we needed on a busy weeknight recently. It took less than 30 minutes to whip up and was everything I want in a dinner: Filling, delicious, healthy (there’s kale!) and satisfying.

The sauce is made with Philia Food’s Savory Feta Spread, which has a blend of basil and rosemary in it, but I think any of their fun flavors would work. You could try the Spicy Feta Spread if you like your food to have a kick, or the Zesty Feta Spread for a fresh hint of dill. Whichever version you use, the sauce is incredibly easy to make. Just add a little bit of milk to the spread to thin it out and that’s it! Seriously, that’s all. So simple.

I also cooked up Italian sausage and kale for more flavor – and because I love my pasta to have some sort of green or vegetable in it. I used spaghetti quinoa noodles, but you can use whatever your favorite pasta happens to be.

However you make it, this is sure to be a hit with your family – it definitely was with mine!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Italian sausage links, casings removed
  • 3 large kale leaves, leaves removed from stem and roughly chopped
  • 1 lb spaghetti pasta (or your favorite pasta shape)
  • 8 oz container Philia Savory Feta Spread
  • ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
  • ½ cup pasta water

Directions
Bring large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once boiling, cook according to pasta package.

Meanwhile, remove sausage from casing, and cook in large skillet, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up grease.

Keep a little of the sausage grease in the pan, and sauté the kale over medium high heat until slightly wilted, just a couple of minutes.

Combine feta spread and cream/milk in medium bowl, whisking until combined.

Once pasta is cooked, drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, then return pasta to pot. Add feta sauce, tossing to combine. Add pasta water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, to thin out the sauce a bit. I used ½ cup total.

Add sausage and kale to pasta, and toss to combine.

Serve immediately topped with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings.