Spicy Pumpkin Rigatoni with Sausage & Kale
10
Points®
Total time: 35 min • Prep: 20 min • Cook: 15 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
A good hit of crushed red pepper flakes lends a bold backbone to the full-flavored sauce that coats chunky rigatoni pasta and crumbled Italian sausage. The secret to the sauce is canned pumpkin, which delivers a rich, creamy texture and a subtle sweetness that pairs well with the spice. Be sure to use a large pan (such as a Dutch oven) to cook the pasta; you’ll be adding 6 cups of kale to it for the last few minutes.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
4 spray(s)
Uncooked rigatoni
7 oz
Uncooked kale
6 cup(s)
Uncooked onion(s)
1 cup(s), chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp
Garlic
3 medium clove(s)
Uncooked sweet Italian turkey sausage
6 oz
Canned pumpkin puree
0.666 cup(s)
Fat free evaporated milk
0.5 cup(s)
Tomato paste
1 Tbsp
Kosher salt
0.75 tsp
No-salt-added canned tomato sauce
8 oz
Grated Parmesan cheese
0.25 cup(s)
Instructions
1
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to the package directions, adding the kale for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain the pasta.
2
Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium. Add the onion, pepper flakes, and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sausage to the pan; cook until the sausage is browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to crumble. Stir in the pumpkin, milk, tomato paste, salt, and tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3
Add the pasta mixture and ¼ cup reserved pasta water to the pan; stir gently to combine. Stir in 2 tbsp cheese and additional pasta water, if needed. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
4
Serving size: about 1¼ cups pasta and 1½ tsp cheese
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