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Home » Pasta Recipes with Meat » Collard Greens Pasta Recipe with Sausage

Collard Greens Pasta Recipe with Sausage

Published: Sep 8, 2024 by Cooking Chat · This post may contain affiliate links

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Our collard greens pasta recipe features hearty rigatoni pasta combined with vibrant greens and savory sausage for a deliciously satisfying meal. We share some excellent Italian wine pairing options along with the recipe.

rigatoni tossed with collard greens and sausages, served on a gray plate.
Jump to:
  • Recipe inspiration
  • Ingredients
  • More information on collard greens
  • Recipe tips and overview
  • Wine pairing
  • Recipe card
  • More articles about Umbria

Recipe inspiration

I originally published this recipe as Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage as part of the Italian Food, Wine and Travel groups’s virtual visit to the Italian region of Umbria.

I read that pork is popular in Umbria, including sausages, so I figured it was time to make another sausage and pasta dish. I like the way sausage goes along with greens, so I guess you could say this is a bit of a Southern inspired Italian dish.

 I originally used sweet Italian sausages in this dish, and also added some olives, which are also popular in Umbria.

Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage with an Italian red wine
Collard Green Pasta Recipe – the first time we made it!

I have since made this collard green pasta with chicken sausage, making it even more of a healthy greens pasta recipe.

Ingredients

Here are some notes on the key ingredients for making this pasta with collard greens.

Pasta: I like to use rigatoni, the short, thick tubular pasta. You could use other short pasta shapes here like ziti, elbows or farfalle.

Sausage: I originally made this collard greens pasta recipe with sweet Italian sausage. I have also made the dish with andouille chicken sausage, and both were tasty. I would say use whichever you prefer or have on hand.

Collard greens are of course, an important ingredient here. But you could try other hearty greens, such as kale. I cover more about collard greens below.

Colored bell pepper: You can use red, yellow or orange bell pepper for this recipe.

Red pepper flakes: Although this collard green pasta recipe calls for a small quantity of red pepper flakes, they help pack a nice flavor punch to the dish. Because one generally uses a small quantity of dried red pepper, this is a spice where I like to go for a high quality version. Lately I’ve been going with these Sicilian chile flakes from Curio, a great local to us spice shop.

More information on collard greens

Collard greens are a central ingredient to this dish, so let’s pause to get you a bit more info on them.

Nutritional value

Collard greens are loaded with nutrients. Here’s a quick summary of some of the major benefits:

  • Rich in Vitamins: collard greens provide an xcellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, which can support immune function, vision, and bone health.
  • High in Fiber: these greens contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, which promotes digestive health and may help to manage cholesterol levels.
  • Antioxidant Properties: Collards are packed with antioxidants that combat free radicals, potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. (see this National Cancer Institute article for more on this benefit)

This Web MD article has more general information on the nutritional value of collard greens.

How to prepare collard greens?

Some folks haven’t warmed up to them yet, but the key is cooking them long enough via a braising method. Slowly cooking collard greens in a liquid such as stock or cooking wine breaks down and softens the tough greens, and adds flavor.

collard greens getting sliced on a cutting board.

When preparing collard greens, slice around the thick middle stem, and set that stem aside for making stock or compost. Coarsely chop the remaining leaves.

And cooking cooking collard greens with something tasty like sausage or bacon helps!

More collard green recipes

If you like this recipe for collard greens, you will want to try some more!

  • ground pork and collard greens served on a white plate, with a bottle of Semillon white wine in the background.
    Ground Pork Stir Fry with Collard Greens
  • Black-eyed peas with collard greens, pulled pork and sweet potatoes, with OPP red wine.
    Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens Recipe
  • bacon and greens dip.
    Bacon and Greens Dip with Bubbly #winePW
  • Hearty Collard Green and Chicken Sausage Soup Recipe
    Hearty Collard Greens and Sausage Soup

Recipe tips and overview

Here’s an overview of how to make our pasta with collard greens recipe. Head on down to the recipe card for all the details!

Brown the sausage – spray a skillet with oil spray and heat on medium high. Brown the sausages for 5 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until they are brown on both sides. Remove sausages to a plate and slice when cooled. Set aside.

Add the onions to the skillet, along with a tablespoon of olive oil.

onions and red bell peppers, sautéing in a black skillet.

Sauté for a few minutes, then stir in the bell peppers. Add the garlic, cook for another minute or so. This is a good time to start boiling the water for the pasta.

Gradually add the collard greens to the skillet. Doing it in a few batches helps it all fit.

adding collard greens to a skillet along with onions and peppers.

Stir in the first batch of collards, as they start cooking down there will be room to add more.

Once all of the collard greens have been added, add the broth, red pepper flakes and salt to salt. Cover to simmer for about 10 minutes on medium low.

Add the sausage to the skillet, along with the balsamic vinegar, stirring to combine.

sausage slices cooking in a skillet with collard greens and red bell peppers.

After stirring in the sausages, cover the skillet and simmer on medium low for another 10 minutes.

Add the pasta to cook according to package instructions if you haven’t done that yet. Keep the collard and sausage mixture warm while the pasta cooks.

collard green pasta paired with a red wine.

Drain the pasta and toss immediately with the sausage and collard green mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and olives, stirring to combine. Serve and enjoy!

Wine pairing

Below are two good Italian red wine pairings we have served with this collard greens pasta.

Original pairing from Umbria

For the original pairing, when we were focused on Umbria, I decided to go with a wine from Perticaia. I had enjoyed several different bottles from them previously. They are based in Montefalco, which sounds like a gorgeous place, perched high in the Colli Martani with a great view of the surrounding countryside.

I was making the Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage midweek, so I decided to go with on of the wineries entry level bottles, the 2013 Perticaia Umbria Rosso ($14, 13% ABV). The wine is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino and 10% Merlot.

Perticaia red wine from Umbria, delicious with Rigatoni, Collard Greens and Sausage | cookingchatfood.com

I get fresh berry on the nose. Fruit forward taste, with a bit of duskiness on the back. Softens nicely in the glass, and goes very well with the sausage in the pasta dish. At this price, this food-friendly wine is a great candidate for everyday drinking with a simple weekday pasta meal!

A Frappato pairing

rigatoni with collard greens with a Frappato red wine from Sicily.

For a recent remake of this hearty pasta recipe, I decided to open a Frappato from Sicilian. I had developed an appreciation for this food friendly wine when researching for this Sicilian wine grapes article.

The 2021 Centonze Frappato ($20, 13% ABV) has an earthy nose. This is a light red wine with bright bing cherry fruit, and some charcoal notes. This Frappato is an excellent choice to pair with the collard green pasta – it complements the spiciness of the sausage nicely. I recommend serving this red wine with a slight chill.

Print

Recipe card

Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage

Rigatoni, Collard Greens and Sausage with an wine from Umbria | cookingchatfood.com
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5 from 1 review

Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage is a flavorful pasta dish inspired by the cuisine of Umbria.

  • Author: Cooking Chat
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ½ orange or yellow bell pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium sweet Italian sausages or spicy chicken sausage
  • 1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup sliced olives
  • 12 ozs rigatoni or other short pasta shape
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Coat a large skillet with oil spray, and heat to medium high. Add the sausage to the pan, cook about 5 minutes, turning occasionally to brown the sausage. Remove the sausage and set aside for later.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet, then stir in onions to sauté. After the onion has cooked for a few minutes, add the peppers.
  3. Sauté the onions and peppers for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, cook for another minute.
  4. Start boiling water for the pasta at this time.
  5. Stir the collard greens into the skillet, doing so in a few batches to allow them a minute to cook down. Add the broth, red pepper flakes and salt to taste.
  6. Cover the skillet, and cook the greens for 10 minutes on medium low.
  7. Cut the chicken sausage into thin slices, then stir into the skillet. Cook another 10 minutes covered. Stir up the sausage and greens, and keep warm on low heat while the pasta finishes cooking.
  8. Start cooking the pasta around the same time you add the sausage to the pan, and cook according to package instructions.
  9. Drain the pasta when done. Toss with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, then stir in the sausage and greens, followed by the cheese. Serve and enjoy with a glass of Italian red wine!

Notes

  • We originally used sweet Italian pork sausages, but have also used andouille chicken sausages. Both work well.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @CookingChatWine on Instagram and hashtag it #CookingChat

Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

Italian Food Wine & Travel Posts on Umbria

More articles about Umbria

Here are the articles from my Italian Food, Wine & Travel colleagues inspired by the Italian region of Umbria.
Vino Travels: Immersion in Umbrian wine with Sagrantino
The Palladian Traveler – Marcello’s Big Fat Italian Christening
Food Wine Click – Orange is the New Red: Paolo Bea Santa Chiara & Umbrian Steak
Orna O’Reilly –  Castelluccio di Norcia: On the Rooftop of the Apennines
Culinary Adventures with Camilla – Roasted Flank Steak with Zucchini Mint Pesto with an Umbrian Merlot
Italophilia – Visiting Assisi in the Enchanting Umbrian Hills
Rockin Red Blog – Beauty and the Beast
Enofylz Wine Blog – Umbria’s Sagrantino: Call It a Comeback
The Wining Hour – Taste Umbria – Black Truffle Linguini with Shrimp & Montefalco Sagrantino
Cooking Chat – Rigatoni with Collard Greens & Sausage with Wine from Umbria
Flavourful Tuscany – Umbrian Cuisine and Fun facts

Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage for a flavorful pasta meal featuring healthy greens
« 59 Grilling Recipes for Labor Day Weekend 2024
Ep. 39 Preserving Fresh Vegetables with Angi Schneider »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. The Wining Hour

    October 03, 2015 at 6:59 am

    Looks tasty and simple to make. Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      October 03, 2015 at 1:28 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  2. Camilla @ Culinary Adventures

    October 03, 2015 at 8:06 am

    This looks delicious, David! Thanks for sharing with #ItalianFWT.

    Reply
  3. jeff

    October 03, 2015 at 8:25 am

    So nice to see a weeknight friendly recipe and wine, a good reminder to us all!

    Reply
  4. Michelle Williams

    October 03, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Great article David. I have had the Perticia a couple of times. Really nice wine and a great meal to go with it. Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Jennifer Martin (Vino Travels)

    October 03, 2015 at 11:07 am

    Seems you hit some of the food highlights of the region, especially the sausage and olives. Perticaia seems to be a common producer enjoyed in this group.

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      October 03, 2015 at 1:21 pm

      It all came together nicely. Perticaia is a good one, I’ll have to branch out next time.

      Reply
  6. Catherine

    October 06, 2015 at 5:56 am

    Dear David, on busy weeknights, a dish like this is my go to. I love the flavors and the wine pairing…thank you for taking us on this tasty journey today! Have a wonderful day, Catherine

    Reply
  7. Marye

    October 06, 2015 at 6:48 am

    This sounds absolutely delicious! I love collard greens!

    Reply
  8. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass

    October 06, 2015 at 8:29 am

    Love the sausage with the Perticaia Umbria Rosso, David. Delicious and satisfying meal!

    Reply
  9. Martin Redmond

    October 08, 2015 at 7:39 pm

    I love how you integrate greens into so many of your dishes in creative ways David! I really must get a copy of your e-book. Is it available for download in iTunes? Your pairing sounds lovely!

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      October 09, 2015 at 7:09 am

      Thanks Martin. Not on iTunes, yet at least. It’s just a direction checkout cart on this page https://cookingchatfood.com/collards-and-kale-cookbook/ you can use paypal or credit card.

      Reply
  10. Marye

    October 09, 2015 at 9:27 am

    I am loving this, collard greens are comfort food in my house. This sounds delicious!

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      October 09, 2015 at 2:13 pm

      Thanks! We go for collards pretty regularly here, too.

      Reply
  11. Lauren Kelly Nutrition

    October 09, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    I love this recipe and I can’t wait to try this wine!

    Reply
    • Cooking Chat

      October 09, 2015 at 8:11 pm

      It’s a good wine alright, great value!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Umbria's Sagrantino; Call It A Comeback - ENOFYLZ Wine Blog says:
    October 3, 2015 at 8:41 pm

    […] Cooking Chat – Rigatoni with Collard Greens & Sausage with Wine from Umbria […]

    Reply
  2. Rustic Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Spinach | Cooking Chat says:
    June 30, 2017 at 5:14 am

    […] often make pasta, sausage and greens without tomatoes, as in this Rigatoni with Collard Greens and Sausage. But I had tomatoes on hand, and was eager to open a special bottle of Chianti. Tomatoes would […]

    Reply

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Hi there! I'm David. I love creating tasty, (mostly) healthy recipes, finding great wine pairings, and sharing good food with family and friends. learn more about me!

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