I’m on a roll, guys! Starting 2020 off right with so many pasta recipes. It’s all I want to cook right now and no one really seems to be complaining. I’m not sure if it’s the ease of throwing some noodles into boiling water and adding my favorite ingredients to a frying pan, resulting in something delicious in less than 20 minutes, that is appealing to me right now. Or the need/desire/longing to go back to Italy and eating all of the delicious pasta I dream about daily. Or the fact that the weather is miserable and eating pasta makes me feel good. Regardless of the motivation, I am here today with another pasta recipe for you all, and I assure you that it will not be the last.

What I love about pasta is that it’s easy to make and it’s easy to make delicious. Even the most beginner cook can make something delicious with pasta. It’s approachable, versatile, and it is my love language.

For this recipe, I used what we had left in our fridge and freezer at the end of the week. I always keep a few bags of meatless ground beef in the freezer to add to pasta, soups, and chili. We’ve always got many half-used boxes of pasta in the cupboard. Some fresh kale, lemon, and Parmesan cheese. Simple as that. What is so impressive about this meal is that it is so simple and so incredibly delicious. That is my favorite type of meal to make. Minimal ingredients, maximum flavor!

TIPS

• There are some pretty great plant-based ground meat substitutes on the market these days. Some of my favorites are MorningStar Farms® Grillers® Crumbles™, Yves Garden Veggie Crumbles, and Quorn Meatless Grounds.

• The recipe calls for rigatoni noodles, but feel free to use any large hollow shaped noodle you have in your cupboard. This dish is meant to be an easy and minimal fuss meal. If you’ve got penne noodles, great!

• When making any pasta dish, it is important to salt the pasta water. When you salt the pasta water, the salty flavor will absorb into the pasta and make it more delicious, and you’ll also be left with some salty water that is perfect to add to the pasta sauce to give it flavor.

• I used to use regular chili flakes in all of my cooking, but after a trip to Turkey, I fell in love with Aleppo chili flakes. Unlike regular chili flakes, Aleppo chili flakes do not contain the inner flesh or seed. They are mild in flavor and you aren’t left crunching on a chili seed. In Turkey, people have them on their tables to be used as a seasoning with salt. These are my favorite Aleppo chili flakes.

SUGGESTED TOOLS

• Sharp Knife

• Cutting Board

• Large Pasta Pot

• Large Frying Pan

• Spatula

• Cheese Grater

• Liquid Measuring Cup

• Measuring Spoons

MORE DELICIOUS PASTA RECIPES

• Farfalle Pasta with Mushrooms and Spinach in a Creamy Tomato Sauce

• Creamy Mac and Cheese with Broccoli Rabe

• Brown Butter Sage and Mushroom Pasta

Rigatoni with plant-based sausage and kale

serves 4 people

• prep time - 10 minutes

• cooking time - 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound of dry rigatoni pasta

• 2 tbsp of olive oil

• 1/4 onion, diced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 10 oz of vegetarian sausage or ground beef

• 1 tsp of chili flakes

• 4 cups of chopped Lacinato kale

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve a cup of pasta water to the side.

2. In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat.

3. Add the onions and fry until soft. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant, but not brown.

4. Add the vegetarian sausage and fry until lightly browned.

5. Season with chili flakes.

6. Add the chopped kale and fry until tender.

7. Add the pasta and toss. Add 1/2 cup of pasta water and the juice from 1/2 a lemon. Simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.

8. Add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and toss.

9. Taste and season with salt and pepper and or extra lemon juice.

10. Serve warm.