Orzo with Turkey Sausage and Kale is a healthy and flavorful pasta recipe. Light enough for a summer meal but enough substance for hearty appetites! Read on for more details, including a wine pairing idea, or click here to jump down to the recipe.
I combine sausage and kale a lot for our weekday meals. It’s a hearty combination, and when you use chicken or turkey sausage, it is very healthy too. You will find the sausage and kale combo in a number of pasta recipes here on Cooking Chat, as well as our popular Portuguese Kale Soup.
Today we toss orzo with turkey sausage and kale for a new variation of this tasty combination. I find orzo to be a bit lighter than some other pastas, making it nice for summer cooking. This Orzo with Turkey Sausage and Kale is on the light side, both in term of texture and calories, but is still substantial enough to satisfy a hungry appetite.
I like to use andouille turkey sausages, but you could substitute other flavorful sausages such as chorizo or spicy Italian sausage. You can certainly make this with a pork sausage, too, that just means it won’t be quite as healthy as the orzo with turkey sausage.
Wine Pairing for Orzo with Turkey Sausage and Kale
You could go with a medium bodied red wine with this dish, but we were in the mood for white when we made it. I poured the 2013 Fortant Hills Reserve Viognier ($12) to go with our Orzo with Turkey Sausage and Kale. I was pleased with the pairing, but didn’t capture my own notes on the wine. The description from bottle does jive with my recollection of the wine: “Rich and smooth on the palate boasting lovely tropical fruit flavors and a long finish.” Pick up a bottle of this Viogner or let me know what wine you enjoy with the orzo with turkey sausage and kale recipe. Cheers!
Recipe card
Orzo with Turkey Sausage and Kale
Orzo with turkey sausage and kale is a healthy and flavorful pasta meal.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 turkey sausages, andouille or other flavorful type
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- pinch red pepper flakes
- salt to taste
- 10 ozs orzo
- 6 olives, sliced
- ⅓ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the sausages, and cook 5 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally to brown the sausages.
- Remove sausages from skillet, set aside to cool. Slice sausages thinly when cooled, and set aside.
- Add the other tablespoon olive to the skillet, and add the onion. Cook on medium heat until it begins to soften.
- Add the red bell pepper, cook for a few more minutes. Add the garlic, cook for one minute more.
- Gradually add the kale to the skillet, it will cook down quickly so you can add more.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet. Then add red pepper flakes and salt to taste. Stir to combine ingredients, then cover the skillet to simmer.
- Begin cooking the orzo according to package instructions as the kale simmers.
- After the kale has simmered for 10 minutes, stir in the reserved sausage, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- When the orzo is done, drain the orzo. Toss the orzo immediately with the kale mixture. Stir in the feta cheese and olives, then the dish is ready to serve.
- Simmer the kale mixture for 10 minutes covered.
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