Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- 12- ounces spaghetti or linguini noodles
- 10- ounces kale (approximately 5 cups loosely packed)
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup half & half
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (if desired)
Instruction
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions making sure to undercook it by 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside, reserving one cup of the pasta water.
- If using large kale leaves, remove the tough stems and chop into bite-size pieces. If using pre-chopped, bagged kale, I suggest going through to make sure it doesn't have any stems.
- Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion until it's soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes longer or until it's fragrant.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the kale and one cup of the chicken broth and cook until the kale is wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer everything from the pan into a food processor or powerful blender. Add the remaining chicken broth and the Parmesan and blend until completely smooth, adding a bit of the pasta water as needed.
- Return the pureed kale sauce back to the pan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the butter, half & half and some extra Parmesan, if desired. Stir to combine and heat through but do not let this boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. You can also add the crushed red pepper if you want some extra heat.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Continue to cook this, tossing frequently until the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan!
