In our ongoing quest for a way to upgrade boxed mac 'n' cheese into a rounded, grown-up dinner. We came up with a dish that packs a little heat as well as more fiber and protein to make it a well-rounded meal. For this recipe, we reached into the back of the pantry for a jar of Calabrian chiles and into the freezer for some plant-based sausage. We also threw in kale to up the fiber, and topped things with buttery toasted breadcrumbs for a touch of crunch.
Calabrian Chile, Sausage, and Kale Mac
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted plant-butter, divided
- ½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 7 ounces plant-based ground sausage, like Impossible
- 1 large shallot
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped Calabrian chile peppers (depending on spice preference), drained of oil
- 1 box of plant-based mac and cheese
Procedure:
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and transfer to a plate.
- Wipe the skillet and return it to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Crumble sausage into the skillet and cook until browned though, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a bowl and return the skillet to medium heat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shallots and thyme and cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the kale and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes, chiles, and the sausage. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook macaroni and cheese according to package instructions. Add the sausage mixture to the pasta and stir to combine. To serve, top with reserved breadcrumbs.
Notes and Substitutions:
- You can substitute harissa for the Calabrian chile. If you don’t like spice, you can add chopped sun-dried tomatoes instead.
- If you really wanna get fancy, transfer the finished mac to a buttered baking dish and broil the top for a couple minutes to get it crispy.
