Name: One-Pot Creamy Sausage and Kale Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lb spicy or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 4 c chicken or vegetable broth; 1 c whole milk or heavy cream; 1 lb short pasta (like orecchiette, shells, or rigatoni); 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped; 1 c grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 lemon, juiced; Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional); Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Is there anything better than a truly great one-pot pasta? It’s the ultimate weeknight hero—minimal dishes, maximum flavor, and on the table in about 30 minutes. This Creamy Sausage and Kale Pasta is all of that and more. It’s the kind of comforting, satisfying meal you’ll find yourself craving on a chilly evening.

The magic of this recipe is that the pasta cooks right in the sauce. As it simmers, it releases its starches, creating the most luscious, velvety sauce without a ton of heavy cream. We build a huge flavor base by browning spicy Italian sausage right in the pot, then wilt in some hearty kale for a pop of color and nutrients. A final “sprinkle” of lemon juice and red pepper flakes at the end makes the whole dish sing. It’s a full, balanced meal in a single glorious pot.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A True One-Pot Wonder: The pasta cooks in the sauce, meaning less work, less cleanup, and more flavor.
Incredibly Creamy & Flavorful: The starches from the pasta create a naturally creamy sauce, perfectly infused with the savory flavor of the sausage.
Fast Enough for a Weeknight: It feels like a special, indulgent meal, but it comes together in about 30 minutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s make a new weeknight favorite. Here’s how simple it is.

First, let’s gather our simple, powerhouse ingredients.

Next, we’ll build our flavor base. We’ll start by browning our Italian sausage right in the pot. This step is key—those browned bits on the bottom of the pot are pure flavor that will make our sauce incredible.

Now, let’s build the sauce and cook the pasta. We’ll sauté some garlic in the sausage renderings, then add our broth and milk and bring it to a simmer. The uncooked pasta goes right in to cook and create its own creamy sauce.

Finally, wilt the kale and finish the dish!

When the pasta is almost tender, we’ll stir in the fresh kale until it’s perfectly wilted and bright green. A final stir of parmesan and our “zesty sprinkle” of lemon, and dinner is ready!

Ava’s Notes

Sausage is Key: I love spicy Italian sausage for the kick it provides, but mild or sweet sausage works great too. You could even use chicken sausage.
Don’t Drain the Fat! After you brown the sausage, don’t drain the fat from the pot (unless there’s an excessive amount). That’s liquid gold and the flavor base for your entire sauce.
Got Leftovers? This pasta reheats beautifully. You may need to add a splash of milk or broth when you reheat it to loosen the sauce back to its original creamy consistency.