This easy, vegetarian kale pasta sauce is made from garlic sizzled in olive oil, bright green kale, and a bit of lemon zest for extra flavor. Ready in 15 minutes!
This fabulous recipe is adapted from the NY Times and is as easy to make as it is delicious to eat. Vibrant kale is the star of a flavorful and creamy sauce that's punched up with lemon zest and salty parmesan. It comes together about 10 minutes, and you can even cook the pasta in the water you use to cook the kale to streamline the cooking process even more. Serve kale pasta sauce tossed with gluten free pasta, a fresh salad, and a pile of roasted cauliflower or a scoop of velvety maple butternut squash puree alongside.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Kale Sauce
Literally eat your greens in this super simple yet oh-so-flavorful pasta sauce that rivals pesto for flavor and color. This is a super way to add this superfood to a rich-tasting pasta sauce that can be tweaked to suit dietary needs and taste preferences. I love this sauce with, of course, pasta, but it also works as a dip for slices fresh easy dutch oven bread or as a drizzle over bowls of vegan asparagus soup. Pair it with your favorite gluten free (or not) pasta, and enjoy!
- Easiest ever. The main effort here is tearing the kale leaves from their ribs; you'll see in the recipe card that you won't need more than about 15 minutes of active time to put this together.
- A nice change from tomato sauce. I love my super simple tomato sauce recipe, but I've gotta mix it up sometimes with pesto, kale sauce, or gluten free cheesy pasta. And I truly love kale, so tucking it into pasta sauce is a no-brainer.
- So creamy. I love how the blender whips the tender kale leaves, garlic, and olive oil into a beautifully creamy sauce that doesn't need any cream!
Ingredients You'll Need
Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Olive oil - I always use extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic - Feel free to add more garlic if you love garlic.
- Kale - I always use curly kale to make this sauce, but the NYT calls for lacinato kale. So, you do you.
- Lemon - This is optional, but I like to add the zest of 1 organic lemon to the mix.
- Salt and pepper
- Parmesan - Or you can use Parmesan-Reggiano.
- Pasta - To serve, gluten-free if needed.
How to Make Kale Pasta Sauce
Here's a quick look at how you'll make this recipe:
1. Saute garlic: In a small skillet, cook the garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes.
2. Cook kale: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the kale leaves for about 5 minutes.
3. Place in blender: Carefully transfer the kale to a blender along with the garlic, olive oil, and lemon zest.
4. Puree: Blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
Tips & Variations
- Use a shaped pasta. For the best results, use a "nooks and crannies" pasta shape like ziti, penne, or fusilli so that the sauce really swirls around the pasta.
- Cook the pasta in the kale water. The original recipe calls for adding the pasta to the pot of water after you've removed the kale, which is a genius time-saving idea. Of course, you don't have to do this; you can start another pot of boiling water alongside the kale and cook the pasta in that.
- Eat it right away. Yes, you can make the sauce in advance, and I'll do this occasionally. But I think it tastes the best as soon as it's made, with a bonus that the cheese will melt seamlessly into the hot sauce and pasta.
- Add heat. If you want a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce after blending.
- Nuts. For a pesto-adjacent sauce, serve each portion with toasted pine nuts. Or try toasted, chopped almonds for crunch.
- Make it vegan. I find that this sauce is so flavorful, even before you add the cheese, that you could easily leave it out and it would still taste wonderful. Or, you can use dairy-free parmesan, or try squeezing in the juice from the lemon you zested for additional flavor.
Storage and Reheating Options
- Fridge - Transfer the cooled sauce to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer - Place the cooled sauce minus the cheese in a freezer-safe bag and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the sauce overnight in the fridge before using it.
- To Reheat - Warm the sauce in a pot set over low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth and heated through.
More Vegetable Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I’d love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Kale Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves smashed flat and peeled
- 1 pound kale thick ribs removed (I used curly kale)
- 1 lemon zested, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup coarsely grated Parmesan
- Pasta to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. In a small skillet over medium heat, add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and 4 garlic cloves, 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.
- When the water boils, add the 1 pound kale leaves and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully remove the kale leaves and place them into a blender or food processor. Add garlic and oil to the blender, grate in the 1 lemon zest if using, and blend into a thick purée. If needed, add a spoonful or two of the kale water if you need some liquid to start the blender. Taste, season with Salt and pepper to taste, then blend again.
- To serve, cook a pasta shape of your choice (you can use the water in which you cooked the kale, or start a fresh pot). Drain the pasta, place it back into the pot, then stir in the sauce and ¾ cup coarsely grated Parmesan. If needed, add a splash of pasta water to loosen up the sauce. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use a shaped pasta. For the best results, use a "nooks and crannies" pasta shape like ziti, penne, or fusilli so that the sauce really swirls around the pasta.
- Cook the pasta in the kale water. The original recipe calls for adding the pasta to the pot of water after you've removed the kale, which is a genius time-saving idea. Of course, you don't have to do this; you can start another pot of boiling water alongside the kale and cook the pasta in that.
- Eat it right away. Yes, you can make the sauce in advance, and I'll do this occasionally. But I think it tastes the best as soon as it's made, with a bonus that the cheese will melt seamlessly into the hot sauce and pasta.
- Add heat. If you want a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce after blending.
- Nuts. For a pesto-adjacent sauce, serve each portion with toasted pine nuts. Or try toasted, chopped almonds for crunch.
- Make it vegan. I find that this sauce is so flavorful, even before you add the cheese, that you could easily leave it out and it would still taste wonderful. Or, you can use dairy-free parmesan, or try squeezing in the juice from the lemon you zested for additional flavor.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.