Heat the olive oil in your Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced sweet onion along with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent—about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Now, crumble in the spicy Italian turkey sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
Pour in the low-sodium chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Once simmering, add the whole wheat orecchiette pasta. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and cook according to package instructions, usually about 10-12 minutes, until al dente.
When the pasta is almost done, stir in the torn kale pieces. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the kale is wilted but still vibrant and tender.
Remove the pot from heat and stir in the freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with extra parmigiano reggiano if desired. Serve warm.
