This lemon garlic kale pasta is buttery, garlicky, lemony and makes a fantastic vegetarian lunch or small dinner. A topping of grated gruyere cheese takes the dish over the top.
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Recipe ingredients, substitutions and preparation:
How to remove kale stems:
For this recipe, you want to remove the stems from all kale leaves. To do that, set each individual leaf onto a cutting board or cutting mat, then slice along both sides of the stem with a sharp knife. Discard the stems and tear the leaves into pieces roughly 2 to 3 inches in size.
What type of pasta is best for lemon garlic kale sauce?
A small, cup-shaped pasta variety, such as orecchiette, works best with this lemon garlic kale sauce. That’s because the sauce is fairly loose and little pasta cups can capture such a sauce best.
What ingredient substitutions can I make:
You can substitute Parmesan or Romano or a combination of the two for the gruyere cheese.
How to make the dish:
See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1. Cook pasta, drain and set aside. In a pot or pan, melt butter and cook garlic in it.
Step 2. Add chicken broth, thyme and kale.
Step 3. Cook until reduced.
Step 4. Whisk in butter and lemon juice.
Step 5. Stir in cooked pasta.
How to serve the dish:
Top the pasta with grated gruyere and serve immediately.
Can I store leftovers?
I don’t recommend that. This dish doesn’t store well because once the pasta and the sauce have been mixed, the pasta will absorb most of the sauce.
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Full Printable Recipe
Lemon Garlic Kale Pasta
Equipment:
- kitchen scale
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- whisk
- citrus juicer
- cheese grater
- pots
- wooden spoon
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta
- 4 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, divided into 2 tablespoons and 2 tablespoons
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 packed cups kale pieces, (stems removed and leaves torn)
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup grated gruyere cheese*
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot or pan.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 20 seconds).
- Pour in broth, then add thyme and kale. Bring to a simmer, then put on the lid and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and continue to cook until only about ¼ cup of liquid is left in the pot (about 8 minutes). Take off the heat.
- Whisk in the remaining butter, then the lemon juice.
- Stir the pasta into the sauce, then distribute onto plates.
- Top with cheese and serve immediately.
Notes:
Nutrition Information (Estimated):
Nutrition values provided on this website are generated from a nutrition database and are estimates only. The accuracy of the nutrition information for any recipe on this website is not guaranteed. Nutrition values can vary quite a lot depending on which brands are used.
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