easyrecipe – The Ardent Cook

Creamy Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

The holidays always bring about strong feelings of comfort food, and this Creamy Sausage and Kale Rigatoni fills the void so incredibly well. If gluten and dairy aren’t for you, I’ve tested this recipe using a grain-free pasta alternative as well as dairy-free milk and cheese. Luckily, there are loads of swaps you can make to create the dish that works for you based upon your dietary needs, or just use the real stuff. I love this as an easy weeknight dinner or as a solution to your Christmas Eve dinner needs for gatherings large and small. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients needed to make Creamy Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

This dish uses all the traditional Italian pasta ingredients like rigatoni, ground sausage, herbs, and cheese. Here’s a full list of everything you’ll need, plus links to some swaps I used to make this compliant with my current gluten- and dairy-free eating habits:

Rigatoni or other cylindrical pasta shape (I like this brand if GF)
Ground Sweet Italian sausage
Olive oil
Kale
Fresh garlic
Crushed red pepper flake
Heavy cream (substitute non-dairy milk or cream alternative if DF)
Pasta cooking water
Mozzarella (substitute non-dairy cheese or goat cheese, if tolerated)
Lemon zest
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Tools used to make Creamy Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

I love pasta dishes because they take close to no equipment to pull off. This dish comes together with only a few tools, most of which you likely already have. Here’s the complete list:

Large skillet or deep pot
Pasta pot
Stirring utensil, such as this wooden spoon
Large chef’s knife
Cutting board
Microplane
Measuring cups and spoons

How to make Creamy Sausage and Kale Rigatoni

This pasta recipe is very straightforward, making it a welcome addition to any weekly meal plan. It’s also the perfect recipe to throw together the night before a big holiday, such as, ahem, Christmas Eve… particularly if you haven’t finished wrapping gifts for the big day.

You’ll start by cooking your pasta in the pasta pot according to package directions. Be sure to reserve approximately 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining, as this helps us achieve a silky creamy sauce that adheres to each noodle.

While the pasta cooks, brown your sausage in a large skillet or deep pot. I prefer to use my Dutch oven for this step. Once browned, push the sausage into a ring at the outside of the pan to make space in the middle for the garlic. Add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes, stirring it around until fragrant, then stir to combine with the sausage. Add the kale and stir again, allowing it to wilt slightly.

Once the pasta is drained, add it directly into the pot with the sausage and kale while still hot. Add the heavy cream, pasta cooking water, and cheese, folding everything together. If needed, you may turn the burner on low to encourage melting of the cheese and thickening of the sauce.

Once the pasta is creamy and all ingredients are incorporated, fold in the freshly grated lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately! Leftovers keep well in the fridge or freezer.

Looking for other weeknight comfort food ideas?

Try these recipes from The Ardent Cook!

Favorite Roast Chicken

Curried Pumpkin Chickpeas with Cucumber Raita

Wild Mushroom Farro with Parmesan and Microgreens

Recipe Ingredients

1lb Rigatoni

1lb ground sweet Italian sausage

1tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced or grated

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to taste

1 head kale, stems removed and roughly chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed

1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp fresh lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Recipe Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, brown sausage in a large skillet or deep pot. Once browned, push sausage to the sides of the pan and make an open area in the center.
Add olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes to the center of the pan and cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Mix to incorporate with the sausage. Add the kale and stir again, allowing it to wilt.
Add the pasta directly to the pan with the sausage and kale, turn the pan to low heat, then stir in the heavy cream, pasta cooking liquid, and mozzarella. Fold consistently until a creamy sauce forms. You may use additional cream to achieve your desired sauce consistency, if needed.
Stir in the freshly grated lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and serve hot! Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer is a delicious (and cheap) way to get your PSL fix. It’s creamy yet dairy-free and spiced to perfection. This recipe can also be tailored to your individual sweetness preferences, from zero sweetness to extra sweet! Simply adjust the amount of sugar you use, and you’re set!

Ingredients needed to make Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

I love this creamer because of how fresh it tastes. No artificial pumpkin here! This is everything you’ll need to make it:

coconut cream scraped from a can of coconut milk
canned pumpkin
unsweetened almond milk
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
ground ginger
ground cloves
coconut sugar

Tools needed to make Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

This creamer is extremely easy to make. Simply throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or high-speed blender. That’s it! If you don’t have a food processor or blender, you can also add the ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until creamy. This is the food processor I use and love for its versatility.

How to make Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Making this coffee creamer is delightfully easy. You can whip it up in the time it takes to brew your pot of coffee! Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and blend until creamy! This creamer keeps in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Recipe Ingredients

¼ cup coconut cream, from a can of full-fat coconut milk

¼ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree

½ cup plain unsweetened almond milk

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

⅛ tsp ground ginger

⅛ tsp ground cloves

2-3 tsp coconut sugar, depending on desired sweetness

Recipe Instructions

Place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge 1-2 hours before making this recipe. Once chilled, open the can and scrape the thick white cream off the top until you have roughly 1/4 cup. Be careful not to get any of the clear “milk” as this will leave you with a watery creamer rather than a thick, creamy consistency.
Place the coconut cream and all other ingredients into the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend on high until creamy. Add additional coconut sugar and blend again if a sweeter creamer is desired.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Whipped Feta Dip

Whipped Feta Dip is the perfect unexpected addition to any appetizer spread. Served alongside dippers such as seeded crackers, toasted pita, or crudités, the salty bite of the feta leaves you coming back for more after each bite.

Ingredients needed to make Whipped Feta Dip

The first ingredient in Whipped Feta Dip is, well, feta cheese. My recipe calls for 6oz, although I typically buy feta in 8oz blocks. So, I’ll just use 3/4 of the block and return the rest to the fridge for crumbling over salads or other miscellaneous uses. Then, you’ll need roughly 2oz of cream cheese. I actually love to use an almond-milk based cream cheese for this dip, because the nuttiness compliments the tangy feta so well. But, almond-milk cream cheese, or any vegan cream cheese, is typically more expensive and using the regular old blocks will work (and taste) just as good. Here’s the list in its entirety:

Feta cheese
Cream cheese
Fresh lemon juice
Olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano
Crackers or toasted pita bread

Tools used to make Whipped Feta Dip

Whipped Feta Dip is the perfect snack because it truly requires one kitchen tool to make: a food processor. Limited dishes means more time to enjoy your appetizer and the company of those you’re sharing it with. I use this food processor and have for a few years now. I love it because of the versatility!

How to make Whipped Feta Dip

This unique appetizer couldn’t be easier to pull together. Simply throw all of the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor, pulse until its combined and the texture has become slightly fluffy, and spoon into a bowl. Arrange your crackers or pita around the whipped feta, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh herbs of your choice. Quick, easy, and wonderful!

Looking for other dip ideas?

Give these other appetizer recipes from The Ardent Cook a try!

Turmeric Cauliflower Hummus

Muhammara-Style Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Cheesy Black Bean Skillet Dip

Recipe Ingredients

6oz room-temperature feta (I buy an 8oz block and use about ¾ of it)

2oz room-temperature cream cheese

Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tbsp)

Olive oil, for serving

Freshly ground black pepper, for serving

Fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano, for serving

Crackers or toasted pita, for serving

Recipe Instructions

Allow the feta and cream cheese to come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. To do this, I take them out of the fridge a few hours before I plan on using them.
Add the feta, cream cheese, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is creamy and slightly whipped in texture.
At this point, you may transfer the room temperature dip to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with fresh herbs and black pepper. Alternatively, chill in the fridge for a few hours, then proceed with garnish. Enjoy!