A light sun dried tomato and kale pasta dish (meatless) is weeknight dinner perfection. This dish is simple and easily adaptable.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword meatless, orcchiette pasta, sun dried tomato and kale pasta, weeknight dinner
Prep Time 6 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Calories 448kcal
Author Katie Beck
Equipment
pasta pot
Ingredients
1ibkalechopped, or a 1-pound bag of chopped kale
½cupsun dried tomatoesjulienned
½cuproasted tomatoessee link above if you are unsure how to make these
4clovesgarliccrushed; or five cloves of roasted garlic smashed (it will be so soft, it will smash like butter)
¼cupolive oilfor cooking
½teaspoonred pepper flakesuse your judgement, if you don't like spicy, then reduce
1lemonzest and juice
1poundorecchiette pastacooked in salted water, al dente
½cuppasta waterafter cooking pasta
salt and pepper to taste
2tablespoonolive oilfor finishing the dish
2tablespoonparmesan cheese
Instructions
Cook the pasta in a pot of SALTED boiling water until al dente.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the kale to the pan and season with salt. Cook a few minutes until it begins to wilt and shrink in size. You may have to add the kale in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
When the kale is wilted down to about half it's original size, add the red pepper flakes, both tomatoes and the garlic, season with a little more salt (if you think it needs it) and pepper. Cook about 7 more minutes until the kale continues to cook down and some of the water it gives off evaporates. Add the lemon zest and the cooked pasta. Stir to incorporate.
Here is where you will begin to add the pasta water a little bit at a time. If you like a bit more liquid then use the entire ½ cup, if you prefer a drier pasta dish with a more olive oil kind of glaze, just use ¼ cup. Continue cooking another couple minutes to incorporate everything together. Remove from heat and toss in the lemon juice and stir together.
Plate to serve and drizzle with a finishing two tablespoon more of olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Notes
Be sure to add the pasta water slowly while swirling/tossing it into the pasta to emulsify with the olive oil and lemon.