Date Night Rigatoni with Sausage and Kale

The final dish
As seen on
pinch of yum
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(304)

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 1 lb. rigatoni + 2 cups reserved pasta water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped fennel or celery
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground mild Italian sausage
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed or chopped*
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
ItalianDinnerDairyPasta
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Preparation

Chef’s notes

Fennel seeds:
I would recommend using 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds if you are using celery instead of fennel. It will give you more fennel-y flavor.
Pasta:
I recommend cooking to al dente so there’s still a slight firmness. That way the noodles will hold up nicely when you toss them with the sauce.
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