Pasta With Vegan Sausage, Cauliflower and Kale

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

Step 2

While the pasta water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, thinly slice the kale stems and chop the leaves. Keep the stems and leaves separate.

Step 3

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until it shimmers. Add the sausage, cover and cook until it browns on the bottom and firms up, about 4 minutes. Uncover, flip the sausage pieces, and add the kale stems, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Uncover, add the cauliflower and cook, stirring, until it starts to become tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the kale leaves and cook, stirring, until they wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up the flavorful browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the tomatoes, olives and pepperoncini, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, and add the sugar, if you’d like, and season with more salt and pepper as needed.

Step 5

Transfer the pasta to the sauce, add the parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and toss to combine. Stir in the pasta water, 1/2 cup at a time, if needed, to loosen the sauce.

Step 6

Divide among serving plates, top with more parsley and vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast, if using, drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve hot.