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Home » Recipes » Main Courses

Lemon Garlic Kale Pasta

Published: Aug 5, 2022 · Modified: Jun 12, 2023 by Nicole B.

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total time35 minutes minutes

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.

Lemon garlic kale pasta in a bowl with a spoon.
Jump to:
  • Recipe ingredients & notes:
  • What kind of pasta is best for lemon garlic pasta?
  • How to remove kale stems:
  • How to make the dish:
  • How to serve it:
  • Can I store leftovers?
  • More delicious pasta dishes:
  • Full Printable Recipe
  • Comments

Recipe ingredients & notes:

  • You can substitute Parmesan or Romano or a combination of the two for the gruyere cheese.
  • Rather than olive oil, this recipe uses butter for a rich and delicious sauce.
Lemon garlic kale gruyere pasta ingredients.
You need kale, grated gruyere, cold butter, orecchiette pasta, lemon juice, garlic, dried thyme and chicken broth to make this recipe.

What kind of pasta is best for lemon garlic pasta?

A small, cup-shaped pasta variety, such as orecchiette, works best with this lemon kale pasta recipe. That's because the sauce is fairly loose and little pasta cups can capture such a sauce best. (That's also what makes orecchiette great for cream pasta sauces, like this chicken chorizo pasta.)

How to remove kale stems:

For this recipe, you want to remove the stems from all kale leaves. To do that, start by placing each individual leaf onto a cutting board or cutting mat. 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.

Kale leaf before and after removing the stem.

How to make the dish:

See full ingredients & instructions in the recipe card below!

Step 1. Cook pasta al dente in a large pot of salted water. Drain and set aside. In a pot or pan, melt butter and cook garlic in it.

Melted butter and garlic in a pot.

Step 2. Add chicken broth, thyme and kale.

Garlic kale sauce ingredients in a pot.

Step 3. Cook until reduced.

Butter kale sauce in a pot.

Step 4. Whisk in butter and lemon juice.

Butter lemon kale sauce being whisked in a pot.

Step 5. Stir in cooked pasta.

Kale pasta being stirred in a pot.

How to serve it:

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 in a bowl with a spoon.

Lemon Garlic Kale Pasta

The Spice Train
This buttery lemon garlic kale pasta makes a fantastic vegetarian lunch or small dinner.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Lunch
Cuisine World
Servings 2
Calories (estimated) 527 kcal

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 and turn up the heat. 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:

*You can substitute Parmesan or Romano cheese or a combination of the two.

Nutrition Information (Estimated):

Calories: 527kcalCarbohydrates: 52.7gProtein: 14.9gFat: 29.2gSaturated Fat: 17.4gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 460mgPotassium: 466mgFiber: 3.1gSugar: 2.5gCalcium: 248mgIron: 2mg

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.

Keywords: lemon garlic kale pasta, lemon gruyere pasta, lemon kale pasta

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