Kale Pasta

Adding chopped and sautéed kale to pasta al limone makes the dish tastier, more nourishing, and more nutritionally balanced.

While the pasta cooks, we sauté the kale with some olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Then we add ricotta, grated parmesan, and grated lemon zest to the pan with the kale, stir in some cooking pasta water, and toss in the pasta.

And that’s it! This is a quick, easy, tasty, and satisfying recipe you can enjoy as an everyday dinner when you don’t have much time to cook.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Kale

You can use dinosaur kale (also called lacinato kale, cavolo nero, or Tuscan kale) or curly kale.

In either case, we recommend discarding the woodier stems.

We’ll show you how to make this creamy kale pasta with whole kale leaves, but you can also do it with pre-chopped kale that comes in a bag.

Substitute spinach for kale.

Olive oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes

Sauté the kale in extra virgin olive oil, crushed garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to make it tender and flavorful.

Substitute avocado oil for extra virgin olive oil.

Substitute finely chopped fresh chili, chili powder, or cayenne pepper for red pepper flakes.

Pasta

You can use any Italian pasta, from long shapes like spaghetti and linguine to short ones like rigatoni, rotini, and penne.

To make the recipe gluten-free, Substitute gluten-free pasta for wheat pasta.

Ricotta

You can make this recipe with cow’s milk ricotta or sheep’s milk ricotta ricotta cheese.

Substitute cream cheese or heavy cream for ricotta.

For vegans, substitute our homemade non-dairy ricotta or non-dairy cream cheese for regular ricotta.

Parmesan

You can use grated parmesan cheese (we recommend Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano for the best flavor) or pecorino Romano for a more robust, intense flavor.

For vegans, substitute vegan parmesan or a non-dairy vegan cheese for grated parmesan.

Lemon

Grated lemon zest, ideally from an organic lemon, adds a pleasant, zesty flavor to this kale pasta recipe.

Optionally, add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice as you toss the pasta with the sauce.

Salt and black pepper

We use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutmeg (optional)

Grated nutmeg is optional. It tastes delicious with ricotta, parmesan, and kale, but if you don’t have it in your pantry, don’t worry. This kale pasta will still be delicious without it.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Boil the pasta

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until it is al dente – that’s about one minute less than package directions.

While you wait for the water to boil, start preparing the kale.

Tip: boil the water without salt. Add salt when the water is already boiling. Cover the pot with a lid as you wait for the pasta to boil, but then when you add the pasta, cook it uncovered, without a lid.

Prepare the kale

If you use pre-chopped bagged kale, skip this step.

If you use whole kale leaves, rinse the kale and shake the water off.

Remove the leaves from the stems by holding the stem with one hand and pulling the leaf off with the other.

Chop it into bite-size pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add crushed garlic and red pepper flakes, and let them fry gently for about a minute.

Add the chopped kale and a pinch of salt and sauté, moving it around the pan for a few minutes or until it wilts.

Tip: If you like tender kale, add a ladleful of water and cook the kale for a few more minutes.

Make the creamy sauce

Turn the heat to low, then to the pan with the kale, add a cup of pasta cooking water, a cup of ricotta, a cup of grated parmesan cheese, grated lemon zest, and some freshly ground black pepper.

Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until the sauce gets creamy.

When the pasta is al dente, reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta, and add it to the sauce.

Toss until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Add more pasta water if necessary.

Serve kale pasta immediately – the sauce dries quickly, so avoid making this ahead of time.

Top it with grated lemon zest, grated nutmeg, black pepper, toasted pine nuts, or crushed walnuts.

This creamy kale pasta is a nutritious and fulfilling meal as it contains all the macros and micronutrients you need for a satisfying meal.

We recommend serving it with a light side dish such as:

• Italian salad with black olives and an easy lemon vinaigrette.
• Easy side salad: ready in 5 minutes with leafy greens and grated carrot.
• Kale salad: in case you want to use up leftover kale from the pasta.
• Fennel and orange salad with black olives and pomegranate seeds.
• 15-minute chickpea salad with fresh greens and a tangy mustard dressing.

Salads

Chickpea Salad

Salads

Fennel and Orange Salad

Salads

Green Bean Salad

Salads

Side Salad

For a more substantial meal, serve with seasonal vegetables, such as:

• Roasted butternut squash with fresh sage leaves and a buttery, tender, sweet side dish.
• Easy roasted mushrooms: juicy and perfectly chewy, great as a pasta topping.
• Sautèed mushrooms or green beans: for 15-minute sides.
• Rainbow roasted vegetables: a side dish that fits any main meal.
• Roasted cauliflower florets: fabulous with white pasta, perfectly charred and tender.

Sides

Sautéed Mushrooms

Sides

Roasted Vegetables

Sides

Roasted Cauliflower

Sides

Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Make ahead: creamy kale pasta is best eaten right after making it as the sauce dries up as it gets cold. We don’t recommend making it for meal prep, but because it’s quick and easy, you can make it for an everyday dinner.

Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Reheat: Do so in a large skillet on medium heat with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water or plain water for 5 minutes or until the sauce gets creamy.

You can also reheat it in the microwave for two minutes, sprinkled with water.

Here are some more veggie-packed and tasty 20-minute pasta meals:

• Broccoli pasta with mashed broccoli and orecchiette pasta is a creamy green dinner idea.
• Hummus pasta with sautéed mushrooms and hummus sauce, a family favorite.
• Pasta Pomodoro with an easy, tasty tomato sauce that everyone will love.
• Easy Pasta Puttanesca: dinner in 20 minutes with spaghetti, capers, olives, and loads of tomato sauce.
• Lemon pasta: creamy, tangy, and elegant dinner and restaurant-worthy meal.

Pasta

Hummus Pasta

Pasta

Broccoli Pasta

Pasta

Pasta Puttanesca

Pasta

Vegan Mushroom Pasta

For many more pasta ideas, check out our pasta category page.