Description
This creamy kale pasta is a delicious and healthy meal that will be sure to please the whole family!
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 gr/ 17.6 oz pasta of choice
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil or 1/4 cup water
- 4 – 6 cloves garlic, diced
- 2 small or 1 large red onion, diced
- 1 heaping tsp basil
- 1 heaping tsp herbes de provence
- 5 cups kale, hard stems removed and chopped up into big pieces
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Juice from one lemon
- Salt, Pepper + Cayenne Pepepr to taste
Cashew Cream
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 3–5 tbsp water (depending on desired consistency of sauce)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to directions on box. Soak Cashews in boiling water while the pasta is cooking.
- While the pasta is boiling, in a large pan, over medium high heat, sautee chopped walnuts in 1 tbsp olive oil until they begin to slightly brown and roast. Keep stirring to ensure the walnuts do not burn. (*Dry sautee in pan without oil for an oil-free method). Remove walnuts from the pan and save them for later.
- In the same large pan heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add diced garlic and onions and sautee with basil and herbes de provence until they begin to caramelize and turn slightly brown. (*Use water instead of olive oil for an oil free method). Add kale and sautee with onions and garlic for a couple minutes before adding the pasta.
- Drain pasta, reserving ¾ cup of the pasta water for later. Add the pasta with the reserved pasta water, lemon juice and 2 tbsp of olive oil to the large pan (you might have to transfer to a pot at this point if your pan isn’t big enough). (*Leave out olive oil for an oil free option).
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Blend for a couple minutes with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice and water until creamy and smooth. (*I used an immersion blender)
- Serve immediately and garnish pasta with cashew cream and roasted walnuts. Taste and add Sea Salt, Pepper and Cayenne Pepper to taste.
Notes
*For a variation, use gnocchi instead of regular pasta – the results are delicious!
*See directions for an oil-free variation
*For a nut-free option leave out walnuts and cashew cream.
*For a gluten-free option use gluten-free pasta.
*Double the cashew cream if you want a more “saucy” pasta
*Tastes best when eaten immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Italian