Turkey Sausage and Kale Casserole
This Turkey Sausage and Kale Casserole with mushrooms, onions, and mozzarella is creamy and comforting. An easy, family-friendly fall dinner with holiday flavors!
Servings: 6 servings (about 1.5 cups each)
Calories: 623kcal
Equipment
- Medium Pot
- Colander
- Medium Skillet
- Large Bowl
- 9x13'' Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray $0.01
- 8 oz. rigatoni pasta uncooked, $0.49*
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil $0.04
- 13 oz. turkey smoked sausage sliced, $3.56
- 8 oz. white mushrooms cleaned and sliced, (227g) $1.94
- 1 onion small diced, (220g, 2 cups) $0.60
- 2 Tbsp butter $0.23
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour 35g, $0.04
- 2 cups milk $0.43
- 1 tsp salt $0.04
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.08
- 1 tsp garlic powder $0.04
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning $0.07
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg $0.02
- 1 bunch fresh kale washed, stemmed, and chopped (130g cut) $1.24**
- 4 oz. cream cheese $0.74
- 1½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded, (150g) $1.27***
Instructions
- Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375°F, grease a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, and set it aside.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes, or just until tender. Drain and cool the pasta in a colander, then place it in a large bowl for later.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the oil and sliced sausage. Brown for 5 minutes on one side, then flip and continue to brown for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot and set it aside.
- Add the mushrooms and onions. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Melt the butter in the pan, then sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and nutmeg. Cook until the liquid has thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the kale and cream cheese and stir until the kale is wilted and the cheese is melted, for about 2 minutes.
- Add the sausage and any drippings back in and fold to combine. Pour this mixture into the large bowl with the pasta and fold until combined.
- Transfer the mixture into the 9x13 casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Top evenly with the mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Notes
*I had rigatoni noodles at home, so that's what I used for this casserole. Feel free to use any type of pasta you have, but follow the cooking directions on the box. Rigatoni takes a little longer to cook than most pastas.
**I highly recommend using fresh kale if you can! It holds up well in the casserole, adding color and texture without getting mushy. However, you can also use frozen kale if you don't mind the texture being a bit softer! Spinach and other leafy greens will also work.
***You can use other cheeses like provolone, Parmesan, Swiss, or your favorite blends.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 623kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 39g | Sodium: 1221mg | Fiber: 3g