Arugula, Artichoke, and Spicy Sausage Pasta

I adore arugula! I have taken to smooching handfuls of the slightly spicy green a top my sandwiches, pizza, and pastas. I also love a good arugula salad (here is one of my favorites).


This is a quick summer dinner that features the bite of arugula, but also the sweetness of artichokes and the kick of a good spicy chicken sausage. It is perfect for eating on the back porch along side a glass of ice cold rose wine.

What is your favorite way to enjoy arugula? Do you have it in your garden? I have a small patch but I end up buying large bags of it weekly because my garden can't keep up with my NEED for the green.  :) Trader Joe's is a great source of inexpensive organic arugula.

Arugula Pasta
1 lb box of small pasta
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb bulk spicy chicken sausage (or sliced if in sausage form)
1 teaspoon chili flakes  (more or less)
1 can artichoke hearts (in water), sliced small
1 bag or about 5 cups of small, washed arugula
Parmesean Cheese for grating over the top

1. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta, saving about a cup of cooking water.
2. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. ( I feel like all my recipes start this way...). Add onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes.
3. Add sausage, artichoke hearts and chili flakes. Cook, breaking up the sausage as it cooks.
4. What sausage is cooked, add arugula. Put a lid on the pan for about a minute or until the arugula begins to melt .
5. Add in pasta and stir to combine. Drizzle in a little pasta cooking water as needed to help the sauce coat all the pasta.
6. Serve with cheese.

PS. I have been getting a lot of traffic about drinking vinegars! I will have more recipes for using and making drinking vinegars soon.