Kale Pasta Sauce (Joshua McFadden's Recipe)

Kale pasta sauce for rigatoni with parmigiano-reggiano cheese

4.88 from 24 votes

Kale Pasta Sauce (Joshua McFadden's Recipe)

This shockingly easy, utterly tasty, and vibrant green-hued kale pasta sauce with olive oil and garlic is the ideal mid-week lunch or dinner. Recipe very slightly adapted from Joshua McFadden's Six Seasons Cookbook.

Prep Time5

Cook Time21

Total Time26

Servings: large servings

Calories: 828kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Equipment

Stand blender or immersion blender with a large heat-safe cup

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 bunch kale about 10 - 12 ounces, any variety works here | thick ribs/tough stems removed**
8 ounces dried pasta such as rigatoni or pappardelle
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Set a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.
Prepare the garlic oil: Add 2 cloves garlic and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil to a small skillet.
Place over medium heat, and saute until the garlic begins to sizzle. Immediately reduce the heat to low, and cook until garlic is light golden, soft, and aromatic (about 5 - 7 minutes).
Smash the garlic with the back of a wooden spoon to infuse as much flavor as possible into the oil, then remove from the heat. Transfer garlic and oil to the base of a stand blender (or a large heat-safe blender cup). Set aside.
Cook the kale: Once the water is boiling, generously season with salt. Add kale leaves and boil until tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes.
Use tongs to remove kale from the pot (they will be wet, that's okay!) and carefully transfer to the blender cup/base. Don't drain the pot!
Cook the pasta: To that same pot of boiling water, add 8 ounces dried pasta and cook until al dente, per package directions.
Transfer 1 cup of the pasta water to a heatproof measuring cup.
Drain the pasta, then transfer back to the pot.
Blend the sauce: Blend the kale, oil, and garlic until it resembles a thick puree. Continue blending, adding about a tablespoon of pasta water at a time, until you achieve a uniform, silky texture. I used about ½ cup pasta water here. You may not need all of it.
Note: Use caution with hot liquids in a stand blender. Prior to blending, remove the small cap from the blender's lid and cover the opening with a kitchen towel to safely release steam. Initiate the blending process at a low speed, slowly increasing the speed in stages to prevent splashing and to ensure a consistent puree.
Don't rush this; you want a very smooth sauce.
Finish the pasta: Season the kale puree with salt and black pepper.
Add half of the kale puree and half of the ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the drained pasta and toss to coat. Continue adding more puree as needed until the pasta is nicely coated, saucy, and vibrant green.
If needed, add a bit more reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Note: If your sauce feels way too loose, you can put the pot back on low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens.
Serve: Divide the pasta into serving bowls, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and garnish with the remaining cheese.

Video

Notes

Note: The original cookbook recipe calls for 1 pound of kale; on February 11th, I re-tested the recipe and found that there was still plenty of sauce using a 10-ounce bunch, so I reduced the original amount to 10 - 12 ounces.

** TIP: Don't discard your kale stems! Leftover kale stems can be stored in the freezer and used to make vegetable broth! You can also chop them up finely and add to stir-fries or pasta.

Leftover Sauce:

Depending on the type of kale and how much pasta water you use, you may end up with some leftover sauce.
Leftover kale sauce will last 2 - 3 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. I don't recommend reheating the sauce, but you can bring it to room temperature, then toss it with fresh, hot pasta.
Here are some other ideas with the leftover sauce: drizzle the sauce on roasted vegetables or mix with yogurt for a fun dip.

Nutrition