Date Night Rigatoni with Sausage and Kale

Ingredients

• 1 lb rigatoni (plus 2 cups reserved pasta water)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cup fennel (chopped; can substitute with celery)
• 1 yellow onion (large, chopped)
• 1 lb ground mild Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
• 4 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (crushed or chopped)
• 0.25 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine (can substitute with chicken broth)
• 1.25 cup heavy cream
• 2 cup kale (chopped; can substitute with spinach)
• 1 tsp salt (plus more for pasta water)
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, plus more for serving)
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes

Steps

1. 1

   Cook rigatoni according to package directions in well-salted water.

2. 2

   Reserve 2 cups of the starchy pasta water when you drain the pasta.

3. 3

   Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep pot over medium high heat.

4. 4

   Add the chopped fennel (or celery) and onion to the pot. Sauté until very soft, about 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the ground Italian sausage to the pot. Cook, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, until browned all the way through.

6. 6

   Turn the heat down. Add the minced garlic, crushed fennel seeds, and 1/4 cup tomato paste.

7. 7

   Sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

8. 8

   Add the white wine (or chicken broth) and let it sizzle out.

9. 9

   Add the heavy cream and let it come to a low simmer.

10. 10

    Stir in the chopped kale and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.

11. 11

    Toss the sauce with the cooked rigatoni.

12. 12

    Add reserved pasta water as needed to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.

13. 13

    Stir in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

14. 14

    Finish with red pepper flakes and additional Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

Variations: You can substitute celery for fennel if preferred. For a dairy-free version, some users suggest using cashew cream (1 cup soaked cashews blended with 1 cup water) or nut-based creamers. Spinach can be used in place of kale. Mild or spicy Italian sausage both work well.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• dinner
• date night
• sausage
• kale
• rigatoni