Green kale pasta
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
This easy 15 minute pasta is the best way to get your greens in!
Ingredients
- 65ml/2fl oz cold pressed rapeseed oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and slightly crushed
- 250g/9oz kale, stalks removed, roughly chopped
- 400g/14oz dried rigatoni
- 60g/2¼oz Parmesan (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese), grated, plus extra to serve
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Method
Pour the oil into a small, heavy-based saucepan and add the garlic cloves. Place over a low heat and gently heat the oil for 6–8 minutes without letting the oil or garlic burn.
Once the garlic is just turning golden, remove from the heat and leave to cool and infuse while you cook the kale.
Place the kale in a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook for 3–4 minutes just until the kale starts to soften but is still vibrant green. Drain into a colander and wash in cold water to stop the kale from cooking further. Drain again, squeezing out any excess water.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to another saucepan of boiling salted water. Cook according to packet instructions until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, place the cooked and cooled kale in a blender. Add the cooled oil and one of the garlic cloves to the blender. (If you want it extra garlicky, you can add both garlic cloves.) Blend to make a thick, chopped paste.
Once cooked, drain the pasta, reserving 150–200ml/¼–⅓ pint of the pasta water. Add 100ml/3½fl oz of the pasta water to the blender and blend on a high speed until you create a vibrant, smooth sauce. If it’s still a little thick, add another 50ml/2fl oz pasta water. Add the Parmesan and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and blend one final time.
Tip the pasta back into its warm pan along with the kale sauce. Stir until the pasta is completely coated in the sauce, adding a little more pasta water if required.
Serve with an extra sprinkling of grated Parmesan.
Recipe tips
This sauce is so vibrant and green it does have the tendency to stain, so be careful with it on kitchen towels and clothes – especially with kids!
Due to the vortex action, a blender tends to make a better, smoother sauce. If you don’t have a particularly heavy-duty blender however, you might want to do step 4 in a food processor first to break down the kale before transferring to the blender for best results.
If you’re needing leftovers for packed lunches or second-day dinners, this sauce can take up to 500g/1lb 2oz of dried pasta leaving you with another portion – it’ll be slightly less saucy, but just as delicious!
