I usually make this pasta dish when I want something quick, filling but on the somewhat healthy side and only have a few ingredients in my fridge.
Here's the beauty of this recipe...you can swap out any ingredient for whatever you have on hand. So be creative, #usewhatyouhave , and focus on the basics techniques.
A few notes before you start.
- I don't count Salt, Pepper, and Oil/Butter as an ingredient. These are basic staples you should ALWAYS have in your kitchen and should be used to taste based on your preference.
Ingredient 1: PASTA
- You can literally use whatever type of pasta you have on hand. I like Angel Hair and Thin Spaghetti when I'm feeling lazy because they have a faster cook time than thicker pastas like bowtie and penne.
- If you are looking for a healthy alternative, use whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles (Zoodles).
Ingredient 2: KALE
- Again, use whatever kind of Kale you like. I lean toward organic curly kale because it's sturdy and easy to find.
- If you don't have kale, you can swap it with spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, and asparagus just to name a few.
Ingredient 3: TOMATOES
- You guessed it, use whatever type of tomato you have or prefer. I like Cherry Tomatoes for their sweetness, no prep, quick cooking time. You can cut them in half or leave them whole to eliminate any knife work on these little guys.
Ingredient 4: Lemon
- Any lemon will work! You just want to make sure it's a ripe, juicy lemon with nice looking skin because we are going to be using the juice and the zest for this recipe.
Ingredient 5: GARLIC
- You have options here. Use fresh garlic that you mince by hand, buy the already minced garlic in a jar, or use garlic powder (not garlic salt) as a last resort.
- I get the minced garlic in a giant jar from Costco because I use it ALL THE TIME.
Ingredient 6: Parmigiano Reggiano
- If you don't have Parmigiano Reggiano, try Pecorina Romano, Asiago, or Parmesan.
- If you're trying to keep things healthy, skip this ingredient altogether.
NOW LETS GET COOKING!
Lemony Kale Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
and Parmigiano Reggiano
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 12oz Angel Hair Pasta
- 2 lemons (1 zested then both juiced)
- 1 bunch kale (washed and leaves pulled from stem)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 4 cloves or 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan Cheese (optional
- 4 Tbsp EVOO or butter
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta al dente according to package instructions and reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
Meanwhile, rip the kale leaves with your hands and set aside. They don't have to be super small as it will shrink when cooked.
Zest one lemon using a microplane or zester then cut in half and juice both lemons into a small bowl leaving out the seeds. Set aside.
Rinse and cut the cherry tomatoes in half if you don't want to leave them whole.
Heat oil and/or butter in a large sauté pan over medium high heat
Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they start to soften.
Add hand torn kale, garlic, lemon zest and half of the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper and red pepper flakes if you are using. Stir to combine and cook mixture for about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of pasta water and cook 2 more minutes until a thin sauce forms.
Add pasta and cheese and stir to combine cooking another minute or to for the pasta to soak up the sauce and flavors melt together. Taste it and off heat then add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon taste. Finish with more grated cheese and serve immediately!
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