You will think this pasta recipe calls for an absurd amount of kale, but it will shrink a ton when cooked.
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
3
5
¼
12
Preparation
Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, strip kale leaves from ribs and stems, then tear leaves crosswise into 2"–3" pieces. Cook kale in boiling water until bright green and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer kale to a colander and rinse under cold water, tossing; squeeze out excess liquid from leaves. Keep water at a boil (you’ll use it for the pasta).
Step 2
Whack garlic with the side of a chef’s knife to crush; peel off skins. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Season very generously with black pepper and cook, smashing with a wooden spoon, until cloves break into rough pieces, soften, and look golden. Add kale to pot and cook, stirring often, until darkened in color and very tender, about 8 minutes (garlic will break into even smaller pieces). Season with kosher salt and pepper.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (2–3 minutes less than package directions).
Step 4
Using tongs, add pasta to kale; splash in about 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce lightly coats pasta, about 2 minutes.
Step 5
Serve pasta topped with Parmesan, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and more black pepper.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Reviews (82)
Back to TopI thought this was super bland- am I missing something? Even added truffle oil and still barely had any flavor.
JB
Brooklyn
3/17/2022
This recipe has become a staple in my house. Depending on my mood (and stress levels), this sometimes shows up as frequently as once per week. I have taken to adding crushed Calabrian pepper flakes when I am sauteing the garlic and it comes out with such a beautiful flavor - highly recommend!
Anonymous
Boulder, CO
11/10/2021
I probably make this at least once a month, so good. I don't bother with blanching the kale, but I do saute red onion with the garlic. I also highly recommend grating the parm over the pan before adding pasta water so that it melds better. Finally, top with a squeeze of lemon juice and some zest in addition to more parm, pepper, and flaky sea salt.
Caro
Brooklyn, NY
3/23/2021
I think this was bland and missing something...
Anonymous
Bethesda, MD
2/8/2021
I'm usually reluctant to try a simple recipe because I've found I just cannot make it benissimo like Italians can. As a result, I've developed a bad habit of adding extra seasonings to make it tasty. For this recipe, I added a tiny bit of fish sauce (sorry) and chicken stock as well as fresh French beans and red peppers. On my next attempt, I'd like to sprinkle thinly sliced grilled bacon or salami. I know it changes the whole vibe of the original simplicity but I'm not confident enough to make it tasty with just garlic, salt and pepper. I'd love to know the secret for it. I'm super grateful for this recipe, though, because Kale is one of the ingredients everyone in the family can eat and everyone liked the dish.
Midori
2/6/2021
One of my favorite ways to use kale. To make things even easier, I skip the blanching step: Just sauté the kale in the garlic and oil. Once the pasta and pasta water go in, it’ll wilt down perfectly. Also, for true indulgence, substitute some of the oil with unsalted butter. Because, why not?!
Jen
NYC, NY
1/24/2021
Success with the teens and parents!, We used 24 oz of chopped kale (1.5 lbs) and one pound of spaghetti and it dissapeared (14 yr old and 16 yr old and papi 50, Oma 84) I used more garlic chilli flakes and parmesan oil to keep it flavorful.
Stefan long
Portland OR
1/7/2021