I grew up on casseroles, and they’ll always have a special place in my heart. There’s something comforting about a dish that’s baked to bubbly perfection and served family-style. As an adult, I still love them, but my palate has definitely grown up, too. This Turkey Sausage and Kale Casserole is delicious and just a little sophisticated. I’ve given this easy pasta bake a warm, autumn-inspired twist by using turkey sausage, mushrooms, kale, and a hint of nutmeg! It’s budget-friendly while still feeling elevated, comes together in about an hour, and makes enough to feed a family of 6!
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Cheesy Turkey Sausage and Kale Pasta Casserole
This turkey sausage casserole is the perfect mix of easy and comforting, just right for a busy night. I start with rigatoni and smoky browned turkey sausage (or leftover roast turkey when I’ve got some!), then toss in sautéed mushrooms and onions for earthy depth. The silky creamy sauce gets a hit of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and a whisper of nutmeg—aka my secret touch to make it taste like fall in a casserole dish. Fresh kale and cream cheese add richness, and a layer of mozzarella on top bakes up golden and bubbly. This easy pasta casserole is my kind of comfort food, right here. 🤤
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Get creative with the protein. Turkey smoked sausage is fantastic here, but you could easily use chicken sausage, Italian sausage, ground turkey, cubed or shredded chicken, or even leftover roast turkey from the holidays. If you’re using ground meat, crumble and brown it instead of slicing.
- Not a kale fan? I love kale, but it does tend to be bitter. If you have kids or picky eaters, you may want to swap it out with spinach or another leafy green like Swiss chard. Are you team kale? Let me know in the comments below!
- Cook the pasta until just tender. It’ll continue cooking in the oven, so you don’t want it overdone!
- Adjust the seasonings. I seasoned this easy turkey sausage and kale casserole with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. You could omit the nutmeg if you don’t have it, but you could also add onion powder, paprika, cayenne, or other spices and herbs to suit your taste.
- The butter and flour are the base for the roux, which is a thickening agent that’s about equal parts fat and flour. It helps give the sauce a creamy consistency, without adding heavy cream or canned soups, so don’t skip this step!
Turkey Sausage and Kale Casserole
Cost $10.84 recipe / $1.81 serving
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 9×13 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 9×13 casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Top evenly with the mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Medium Pot
- Colander
- Medium Skillet
- Large Bowl
- 9×13'' Casserole Dish
Notes
Nutrition
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Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, and then set it aside for now.
Cook the pasta: Add water to a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Once the water is boiling, add 8 oz. rigatoni pasta and cook for about 10 minutes, or just until tender. Drain and cool the pasta in a colander. Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl and set aside.
Brown the turkey sausage: Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and 13 oz. sliced turkey smoked sausage. Brown the sausage on one side for 5 minutes…
…then flip them over and brown for a further 5 minutes on the other side. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside.
Sauté the veggies: Add 8 oz. sliced white mushrooms and 1 diced onion to the same skillet you browned the sausage in. Sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Make a roux: Melt 2 Tbsp butter in the pan with the mushrooms and onions. Then, sprinkle ¼ cup flour into the skillet, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
Make the casserole filling: Now, add 2 cups milk, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and ⅛ tsp nutmeg. Cook until the liquid has thickened, about 2 minutes.
If you haven’t already, remove the tough stems from 1 bunch washed kale and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
Add the kale and 4 oz. cream cheese to your skillet. Stir and combine until the kale wilts and the cheese is melted. This took about 2 minutes for me.
Now add the browned sausage (and any drippings) to the skillet and fold to combine with the creamy sauce.
Pour your turkey sausage casserole mixture into the large bowl with the pasta and fold until combined.
Bake: Pour the casserole mix into your prepared 9×13 casserole dish. Spread it out evenly and top with 1½ cups shredded mozzarella.
Bake the casserole in your preheated oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This turkey sausage pasta bake doesn’t need much to make it a complete meal. I usually serve it with a simple side salad made from mixed greens and a balsamic vinaigrette. A slice of garlic bread or crusty baguette is also a great choice! If I’m feeding a bigger group, I’ll throw together some roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or green beans on the side. This dish is hearty enough to stand on its own, so you can keep sides minimal and still have everyone leaving the table satisfied.
Storage & Reheating
You can store this turkey and kale casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, making it perfect for meal prep or enjoying leftovers throughout the week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container. I recommend thawing it overnight in the fridge before reheating. When you reheat it (either in the microwave or back in the oven at 350°F), you may need to add a splash of milk if the pasta has absorbed too much sauce.
