Creamy Chicken Sausage and Kale Cavatappi

Cavatappi with chicken sausage, garlicky kale, and a lemony Parmesan cream sauce.

Ingredients

• 6 oz cavatappi pasta
• 9 oz Italian chicken sausage mix
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 oz kale, stems removed and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon
• 4 oz cream sauce base
• 1½ tablespoons sour cream
• 1 chicken stock concentrate
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve, peel, and finely chop the onion. Remove the kale stems and chop the leaves. Thinly slice the garlic and quarter the lemon.
2. Cook the cavatappi until al dente, 9–11 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup pasta water (1½ cups for 4 servings), then drain.
3. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the sausage, until mostly cooked and the onion is softened, 3–5 minutes. Stir in the kale and garlic and cook until the sausage is cooked through and the kale is wilted, 3–5 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the cream sauce base, sour cream, stock concentrate, ¼ cup reserved pasta water (⅓ cup for 4 servings), and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Cook until thickened, 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the drained cavatappi, half the Parmesan, butter, and another squeeze of lemon juice. Add more pasta water as needed until the pasta is coated.
6. Divide between bowls and top with the remaining Parmesan. Serve with lemon wedges.