Made with only a few simple ingredients, this recipe for Kale Pasta is hearty, wholesome, and incredibly simple to make, while still being surprisingly full of flavor.
Whether you are looking for more cheap and easy vegan dinner recipes, a way to incorporate more greens into your diet, or a simple 30-minute meal, you will love this recipe for Pasta with Kale.
Reasons to Love Kale Pasta
- Incredibly Flavorful Pasta Recipe. With vibrant greens, creamy chickpeas, and a bright light sauce, kale pasta sings with flavor.
- Easy Dinner Recipe. Made with simple ingredients, this pasta is not only full of flavor but it comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- Picky-Eater Approved. If you think you don't like kale, this may be the recipe to change that. The magic of this kale pasta is that the greens absorb the flavor of the wine and seasonings, and become tender and flavorful.
- Adaptable Recipe. This recipe is not only easy to make it is also versatile, as the ingredients can be swapped out to use what you have on hand.
- Allergy-Friendly. This Kale Pasta is dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta.
Notes on Ingredients
- Pasta: Rigatoni instead of orecchiette? No problem. You can use any type of noodle you have in your pantry for this recipe. Whole grain, regular, and even gluten-free pasta works!
- Kale: Remove the stems and ribs of the kale and then chop them into bite-size pieces. Fresh kale is best, but you can use defrosted and drained frozen kale if that is all you have on hand.
- Chickpeas: The chickpeas add protein, texture, and heartiness to this pasta dish, but can be omitted or swapped out for cannellini beans.
- Wine: To add a rich depth of flavor, I love using a bit of dried white wine like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. If you don't have wine on hand, use additional stock.
- Lemon Juice: Be sure to use fresh lemon juice, as the acidity from the lemon juice helps the entire dish to pop. If you only have jarred lemon juice, skip adding the juice entirely, as the flavor is not the same.
Recipe Modifications
- Spice Level: Omit the crushed red pepper flakes for less heat, or increase if you like it spicier.
- No kale? Use spinach or raw florets of broccoli in place of the kale.
- Oil-Free Option: In place of olive oil, use a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth to saute the garlic and kale. As the garlic and kale saute, you may need to add a bit more broth as the stock evaporates.
- Broth: Feel free to use chicken stock instead of vegetable broth if you are not vegetarian.
∗ Tips for the Best Kale Pasta ∗
While the ingredients are interchangeable for this recipe, there are a few key steps that turn this pasta dinner into something spectacular that you don't want to skip. You will find the recipe in detail in the recipe card.
- Cook the pasta correctly. You want to cook the pasta in rapidly boiling water that has been heavily salted. The pasta gets some of its flavors from the water, so it is essential to salt well. Cook the pasta, until just al dente--about 1 to 2 minutes LESS than the package states. The pasta will finish cooking with the kale and chickpeas, so you do not want it to be overcooked.
- Saute the kale in wine and seasonings. Kale is quite bitter and sturdy, so needs to be cooked down with seasonings to develop flavor. I saute the kale with dry white wine, vegetable broth, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. The kale becomes tender, flavorful, and delicious! Once the kale is wilted, add in garlic and beans and warm through before adding the pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Pasta with Kale for a quick and hearty lunch or alongside Homemade Italian Bread paired with Bread Dipping Oil and a Kale Apple Salad, for an easy, yet impressive family dinner.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftover cooled pasta in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Because pasta can easily dry out after being refrigerated, I recommend adding a splash of broth or water to the pasta before heating it. Transfer the pasta to a heat-safe bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, and reheat in 30-second intervals in the microwave until warmed through.
More Simple Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
If you tried this recipe, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Quick and Easy Kale Pasta
Made with only a few simple ingredients, this recipe for Kale Pasta is hearty, wholesome, and incredibly simple to make, while still being surprisingly full of flavor.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 296kcal
Ingredients
- 1 bunch raw kale stems removed and chopped (about 6 cups)
- 8 ounces Orecchiette pasta or past of choice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided--see notes to make this oil free
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup dry white wine or additional vegetable stock
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (15 ounce can) chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Heavily salt with kosher salt and add in pasta. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package directions state. When pasta has finished cooking, drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. DO NOT RINSE the pasta!
- While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kale and saute for 3-4 minutes, until it begins to wilt down. If it does not fit in the pot all at once, add by gradual handfuls, stir, and allow it to wilt down, then add more. Once all of the kale is added and has wilted down, add the garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the wine and chickpeas to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated off.
- Add in the vegetable broth, ¼ cup reserved pasta water, and cooked pasta, tossing to combine. Cook until the pasta is finished cooking and the pasta absorbs most of the liquid, adding up to ¼ cup more pasta water if needed as it finishes cooking.
- Turn off the heat and finish with the fresh lemon juice, additional tablespoon of olive oil, and Parmesan if using.
Notes
Leftovers: Store leftover pasta in a sealed container for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of stock to keep the pasta from being dried out and heat it in the microwave.
Spice Level: Omit the crushed red pepper flakes for less heat, or increase if you like it spicier.
Oil-Free Option: In place of olive oil, use a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth to saute the garlic and kale. As the garlic and kale saute, you may need to add a bit more broth as the stock evaporates.
Broth: Feel free to use chicken stock instead of vegetable broth if you are not vegetarian.
Greens: Feel free to use spinach in place of kale, just keep in mind the spinach will cook much quicker than kale.
Wine: To make this pasta without wine, use vegetable broth in place of the white wine. If using wine, be sure it is a dry wine, like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, not a sweet wine.
Chickpeas: Feel free to use dried chickpeas that you have cooked, instead of canned chickpeas. Just keep in mind you may need to add additional salt to the recipe. You can also replace the chickpeas with white beans if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1492IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
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MICHAEL
I FIND KALE BY ITSELF ISN'T TOO TASTY , BUT ADD TO THIS RECIPE MAN THIS CAME OUT GREAT KRISTEN. LOVE THE STUFF. WON'T TALK BAD ABOUT KALE AGAIN, NOT WHEN I PUT IT IN THIS PASTA RECIPE... THANKS KRISTEN
Kristen Chidsey
You are welcome. It is a great way to dress up kale.
Gigi
This wasn't impressive to me. I regret doubling it. Also realized I never added the oregano as it isn't in the instructions. Maybe that would have boosted the flavor.. and maybe roasting the chickpeas first would be an improvement to change up the texture a bit..
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Gigi. I am sorry you didn't enjoy this as much as you hoped. The oregano is added with the crushed red pepper flakes in step 2. Because this recipe has so few ingredients, using quality ingredients really make a huge difference in the flavor. The type of wine/stock and using fresh lemon juice, good olive oil, and remember to add the reserved cooking liquid goes a long way to the flavor of this pasta.
Claudia Lamascolo
What a great vegan dish. the flavors are fabulous!
Sam
This kale pasta was so delicious and so easy to make! The whole family loved it!
Marian Considine
Great vegan dish!
Kristen Chidsey
So glad you enjoyed Marian!
Amy
My whole family ate this without complaining! That's a big win! It was really flavorful and delicious. Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing that it was a family success. That is a win--especially with veggies involved. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
sal
Loved it, especially the versatility. More like this? We're looking for recipes low on inflammation. Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Sal! I have a lot of wholesome recipes on the site, if there is something specific you are looking for I am happy to point you in that direction.
Beth
What a healthy, flavorful pasta! I am in love with chickpeas and can't get enough of them!
Kimberly
We grow a ton of kale in a garden and I'm always looking for new recipes to use it up - bingo! Great recipe, thanks for sharing this!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY! I am glad you found this recipe Kimberly and that you enjoyed using your garden fresh kale in it!