This post is sponsored by La Terra Fina. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Kitchen Paper alive!
Baked pasta has forever been, and I think forever will be, one of my favorite comfort foods. My mom used to make homemade baked mac n' cheese when I was a kid, and it was my favorite dinner. The only issue? It was super labor intensive, so we didn't have it very often. Also, as an adult who now appreciates vegetables immensely: I like my baked pastas FULL OF VEG these days!
ENTER: La Terra Fina Spinach & Kale Dip made with Greek Yogurt. I know I know — you're thinking "what does a dip have to do with baked pasta?" The answer is ummm everything. It is your shortcut to baked pasta heaven in NO TIME. Plus all the flavor. Plus kale and spinach (we'll throw in some more for good measure). Plus how freaking cute is the new La Terra Fina packaging? Tres chic!
This is definitely the kind of dish you could cook up after work when you have guests coming over and need something tasty. Quick entertaining at it's best! They won't even know what hit them. The key here is 1) using plenty of dip, and 2) saving some pasta water!! I mixed about a cup of pasta water (the water you cooked your pasta in) to mix with the dip before adding it to the pasta and baking.
So, who has a dinner party coming up during busy busy December? Here you go — a quick, delicious meal made with real ingredients (alllllllways!) that you can trust. Win-win! xo
Spicy Sausage, Spinach, & Kale Baked Pasta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Baked pasta comes together quickly and with minimal effort thanks to Spinach & Kale dip, used as the sauce! Add some spicy sausage and more kale for a delicious, real-foods, quick entertaining meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry pasta
- ¾ lb spicy italian sausage, loose
- 2 cups chopped raw kale
- 2 packages (10 oz each) La Terra Fina Spinach & Kale Dip & Spread made with Greek Yogurt
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a large stock pot, heat enough water to cover the pasta by a few inches.
As the water is heating, being cooking the sausage in a frying pan on the stove. Break apart large chunks of sausage, turning and scraping to brown everything.
When the water is hot, cook the pasta until al dente. Save one cup of pasta water (set aside), but drain the rest.
Add the cooked sausage and chopped kale to the pasta. Mix together the reserved pasta water with both packages of La Terra Fina Spinach & Kale Dip made with Greek Yogurt. Add to the pasta, and mix well to coat.
Pour the pasta mixture into a casserole dish, top with a generous layer of bread crumbs, then a generous layer of parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is beginning to brown.
Let cool 5 minutes before serving!
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