swiss chard, sausage, pasta, and bean casserole

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 (16 ounce) package fusilli pasta
• 1 1/2 bunches swiss chard, leaves sliced, stems reserved
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 2 (3.5 ounce) links italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (6 ounce) container crumbled feta cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Ready Time: 50 mins


• preheat the oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c).
• bring 1 teaspoon salt and water to a boil. stir in the fusilli, and return to a boil. cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 6 minutes.
• stir swiss chard stems and chicken bouillon granules into pasta and water. continue cooking until pasta has cooked through but is still slightly firm, about 6 more minutes. reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. drain pasta and chard stems.
• heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. cook sausage links until evenly browned and no longer pink in the center. transfer sausage to a plate and slice.
• heat butter and red pepper flakes over medium heat in the skillet used to cook sausage; cook and stir onion and garlic in butter until tender and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• stir sliced swiss chard leaves and balsamic vinegar into onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until chard leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.
• mix kidney beans and tomato into chard leaf and onion mixture; continue to cook for 3 more minutes.
• stir pasta, chard stems, and 1/2 of the reserved cooking liquid into the vegetables. season with salt and black pepper. if the sauce becomes too dry, add remaining cooking liquid.
• transfer pasta mixture to a large baking dish.
• arrange sliced sausage and crumbled feta cheese atop pasta, pressing the mixture down.
• bake in the preheated oven until feta cheese begins to melt, about 15 minutes. turn on the oven's broiler and broil until cheese is browned, 3 to 5 more minutes.