Italian-American · main

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Orzo

Name: Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Orzo
Prep time: 31 min
Total time: 31 min
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: italian sausage — 454 g; olive oil — 27 g; yellow onion — 110 g; garlic — 12 g; red chili flakes — 3 g; orzo pasta — 454 g; low-salt chicken broth — 946 g; water — 237 g; curly kale — 100 g; cannellini bean — 851 g; salt — 5 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; parmesan cheese — 114 g; unsalted butter — 27 g; lemon — 65 g

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Orzo reads umami 7.2, richness 6.0 and citrus 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 31 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 7.9 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 7.0 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.5 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.6 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.2 · Richness 6.0 · Citrus 5.5 · Salinity 4.9 · Sourness 4.9 · Fruity 4.4 · Allium 4.2 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Heat 2.0 · Nutty 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Bitterness 1.3 · Earthy 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Floral 1.1

What's in it (15)

italian sausage — 454 g
olive oil — 27 g
yellow onion — 110 g
garlic — 12 g
red chili flakes — 3 g
orzo pasta — 454 g
low-salt chicken broth — 946 g
water — 237 g
curly kale — 100 g
cannellini bean — 851 g
salt — 5 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
parmesan cheese — 114 g
unsalted butter — 27 g
lemon — 65 g

Time & effort: about 31 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 91.6 kcal, 5.6 g protein, 3.1 g fat, 11.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into small crumbles with a spoon, and cook until deeply browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion to the sausage fat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Stir in the orzo and toast, stirring often, until the edges turn light golden, about 2 minutes - this keeps it from going gummy later.
Pour in the chicken broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer.
Return the sausage to the pot along with the kale, stirring until it wilts. Simmer uncovered, stirring every few minutes so the orzo doesn't stick, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 9-11 minutes.
Stir in the cannellini beans, salt, and black pepper; simmer just until the beans are heated through and the orzo reaches a loose, stew-like consistency, 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and butter until melted and glossy.
Stir in the lemon zest, then taste and adjust the salt. Divide among bowls and serve right away - the orzo continues to thicken as it sits, so loosen leftovers with a splash of hot broth or water when reheating.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Garlic Parmesan Baked Orzo with Chicken — Mediterranean
Greek Beef and Orzo Skillet — Greek
Beef Shawarma Rice Skillet — Middle Eastern
Greek Chicken and Rice Skillet — Greek
Pork Milanese with Arugula Salad — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.