Butternut Squash Orecchietti Pasta with Sausage, Kale and Sage

Sometimes I want a quick pasta meal, but I have a tendency to get marinara'd out. And creamy alfredo or store-bought pesto alternatives are not exactly waistline friendly.  This sauce is quick and easy to find in the soup section, and using turkey sausage and kale keeps it healthy.  Substitute whole wheat penne if you want to be strict, but I like the shape of the orrechietti and the way it holds a little extra soup.  I mean, sauce.

Serve with a homemade caesar salad.

Butternut Squash Orecchietti Pasta with Sausage, Kale and Sage

2/3 carton (32 oz) creamy butternut squash soup*
1- 16 oz. box of orecchietti pasta
1 lb turkey or chicken sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c kale, trimmed and chopped
1 T dried sage

Cook pasta according to instructions and set aside. Brown the sausage in a large saute pan.  Add garlic and sage. Add kale and saute until tender. In a large pot, toss the sausage, kale, and pasta with about 2/3 carton of soup.  Stir gently over med-low heat until the butternut sauce is warmed up.  The pasta will absorb some of the sauce, so add a little more sauce as needed. (No one likes dry pasta.)  Garnish with feta or shredded parmesan cheese if desired.

*I used the Pacific Natural Foods brand of butternut squash soup.  I've also used the Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Soup.  TJ's has a Carrot Ginger Soup for a more exotic twist, but if you use that, I would leave out the sage. Not so confident about the sage-ginger combination.

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