Creamy Kale Pasta
Questa ricetta è disponibile anche in italiano
This Creamy Kale Pasta is heaven in a bowl: 7 ingredients and 15 minutes of your time is all you need to enjoy this dish. Not too bad, uh?
I can’t believe that I used not to be a fan of greens, ESPECIALLY kale!
I have to thank my two guinea pigs for giving this beautiful vegetable another go, as I’m often left to use up what they can’t finish before it gets too spoiled.
And this one is, hands down, one of my go-to kale recipe to polish up leftovers.
Packed with nutrients and flavour, this quick pasta dish is what you’ll want to bring on the table on a midweek day.
Seriously tasty and super easy to make, it features vibrant kale, silky plant based cream, crunchy pine nuts, for extra nuttiness and texture, and a slight chilli kick.
It will hook up even kale haters and, and, if you already happen to already love this veggie, it will strengthen up your bond!
What’s in Creamy Kale Pasta?
Ingredients & Substitutions
Kale. Fresh and vibrant kale chopped into bite size. If you’re not a fan of stalks keep them for broths or soups. Instead of kale, you can use cavolo nero.
Plant Based Double Cream. As I already mentioned in a bunch of recipes like this Vegan Burned Basque Cheesecake, my favourite plant based cream for both savoury and sweet dishes is Elmlea double (the blue one). You can use any other vegan cream of your choice, soy free if you need it to be. Another great alternative if you are oil free would be canned coconut milk.
Pasta. Any pasta of your choice works great, I especially recommend penne, farfalle and tagliatelle. For those interested I used Maccheroni Calabresi.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It can be substituted with vegetable oil, margarine or vegan butter. Or use vegetable broth for oil-free version.
Garlic. I recommend fresh garlic cloves, however it can be substituted with garlic powder or granules, or even garlic paste according to your own taste.
Pine Nuts. Slightly toasted in some oil, for a nutty flavour and a crunchy texture. You can substitute them with sliced almonds or cashew nuts.
Chilli Flakes. For a slight heat that goes perfectly with the flavours of this dish. Omit if you’re not a fan of spicy food, or adjust the quantity to your own taste.
Vegan Creamy Kale Pasta Recipe
Ingredients:
250 g Pasta
250 g Vegan Double Cream (unsweetened)
100 g Chopped Kale
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
2 tbsp Pine Nuts
1 tsp Chilli Flakes
Salt
Method:
1. Add the oil, kale, garlic and chilli flakes to a large pan or wok.
2. Season with salt and cook on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes, then lower up the heat, add a couple of tablespoons of water, cover with lid and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the kale is soft.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta in abundant salted boiling water.
4. In a small pan, drizzle a splash of olive oil and toast the pine nuts for a couple of minutes or until golden and fragrant, making sure to stir constantly.
5. Once the kale is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the plant cream. You can also enrich it with some vegan parmesan cheese if you feel like it.
6. Drain the pasta al dente making sure to keep a ladle or two of cooking water.
7. Pour the pasta in the pan with the kale and cream, stir well and heat everything together for a minute or two. Add cooking water if needed.
8. Serve straight away topped with toasted pine nut and chilli flakes.
