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Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale Pesto on a white plate.
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Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale Pesto

A recipe for Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale Pesto! Orecchiette pasta is tossed with Italian sausage and a kale walnut pesto for a delicious and easy meal.
Course Main
Cuisine N/A
Keyword italian sausage, kale, meat, orecchiette, pasta, pesto, pork, sausage
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 -6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces (340 grams) Tuscan Kale tough stems removed
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1/3 cup (40 grams) walnuts
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces (43 grams) Parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2-3/4 cup (120-180 milliliters) olive oil plus more for drizzling
  • 1 pound (450 grams) dried orecchiette pasta
  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) reserved pasta water
  • 1 pound (450 grams) Italian sausage casing removed
  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) dry white wine

Instructions

To prepare the pesto:

  • Roughly chop the kale leaves and add to a large food processor with the garlic and walnuts.
  • Pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, to create a finely chopped, crumbly mixture.
  • Add the lemon zest and juice, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Pulse to combine.
  • Turn on the food processor and slowly pour in the olive oil, scraping down the sides as needed, to create a sauce with the desired consistency- less olive oil for a thicker sauce and closer to 3/4 cups (180 milliliters) for a thinner sauce.

To assemble:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, al dente.
  • Reserve 1 cup (240 milliliters) of the pasta water and drain the orecchiette.
  • In a large pan, drizzle about a tablespoon (15 milliliters) olive oil over medium heat.
  • Crumble in the sausage and cook, breaking apart the pieces with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
  • Pour in the white wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow to continue to cook until most of the wine has evaporated.
  • Toss in the tender pasta and the pesto. Add a little of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a smooth sauce.
  • Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately with a little more grated Parmesan cheese if desired.