Kale Sauce Pasta
Updated December 18, 2025
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 garlic cloves, smashed flat and peeled
1 pound lacinato kale, thick ribs removed
Freshly ground black pepper
½ pound pasta, like pappardelle or rigatoni
¾ cup coarsely grated Parmigiano- Reggiano
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings as a main course)
98 grams carbs; 38 milligrams cholesterol; 965 calories; 24 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 46 grams fat; 13 grams fiber; 994 milligrams sodium; 42 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Put a large pot of generously salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a small skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic, and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle. Reduce heat to low, and cook very gently until garlic is soft and begins to turn light gold, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Step 2
When water is boiling, add kale leaves, and cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Pull out the hot, dripping kale leaves with tongs, and put directly into a blender. (Don’t drain the pot; you’ll use that same boiling water to cook the pasta.) Add garlic and its oil to the blender, along with a splash of hot water from the pot if you need some more liquid to get the blender going. Blend into a fine, thick green purée. Taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then blend again.
- Step 3
Add the pasta to the still-boiling water, and cook according to directions on the package. Ladle out about a cup of the water to save for finishing the dish, then drain the pasta and return it to the dry pot. Add the kale purée, about ¾ of the grated cheese and a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss until all the pasta is well coated and bright green, adding another splash of pasta water if needed so that the sauce is loose and almost creamy in texture. Serve in bowls right away, and top with an extra drizzle of olive oil and the rest of the grated cheese.
Private Notes
Comments
It's not new. It doesn't need to be. Reminders are useful for many cooks, and newcomers to the kitchen may welcome the chance to try something so familiar and user-friendly. You know what's not useful? Snark.
You don't have to exclude the ribs of the kale, even for the the firmer variety: Just slice the ribs away from the leaves (you can do it a few stalks at a time), then bunch the ribs together and dice them finely. Then throw them in the boiling water 2-3 minutes before adding the leaves; it'll all cook pretty much the same, and should be indistinguishable once you put it through the processor. Sometimes the ribs make up half the weight of the kale, so it's definitely worth doing.
I have done this with arugala (when I can find it),or spinach, broccoli, greens (kale, mustard, collard) broccoli rabe.. adding a mashed-up avocado (with lime juice) for more deliciousness...mixing these with pasta or in a hot, freshly baked Idaho potato...(lubricating with butter, Melt, olive oil...)
Made a vegetarian and lower fat/low carb version of this, using nutritional yeast for cheese and half a cube of silken tofu for protein. Used sliced, roasted cabbage instead of pasta. Fantastic!
I added a chopped shallot in with the garlic, and a can of butter beans (rinsed) to the puree for more protein & creaminess!
added chickpeas to the blender with the kale as a source of protein and it turned so yummy and creamy! also added crushed red chile pepper seasoning for a little extra kick, really brought the dish together