Made with only a few simple ingredients, this recipe for Kale Pasta is hearty, wholesome, and incredibly simple to make, while still being surprisingly full of flavor.
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Heavily salt with kosher salt and add in pasta. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package directions state. When pasta has finished cooking, drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. DO NOT RINSE the pasta!
While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kale and saute for 3-4 minutes, until it begins to wilt down. If it does not fit in the pot all at once, add by gradual handfuls, stir, and allow it to wilt down, then add more. Once all of the kale is added and has wilted down, add the garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds.
Add the wine and chickpeas to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated off.
Add in the vegetable broth, ¼ cup reserved pasta water, and cooked pasta, tossing to combine. Cook until the pasta is finished cooking and the pasta absorbs most of the liquid, adding up to ¼ cup more pasta water if needed as it finishes cooking.
Turn off the heat and finish with the fresh lemon juice, additional tablespoon of olive oil, and Parmesan if using.
Notes
Leftovers: Store leftover pasta in a sealed container for 4-5 days. To reheat, add a splash of stock to keep the pasta from being dried out and heat it in the microwave.Spice Level: Omit the crushed red pepper flakes for less heat, or increase if you like it spicier.Oil-Free Option: In place of olive oil, use a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth to saute the garlic and kale. As the garlic and kale saute, you may need to add a bit more broth as the stock evaporates.Broth: Feel free to use chicken stock instead of vegetable broth if you are not vegetarian. Greens: Feel free to use spinach in place of kale, just keep in mind the spinach will cook much quicker than kale.Wine: To make this pasta without wine, use vegetable broth in place of the white wine. If using wine, be sure it is a dry wine, like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, not a sweet wine.Chickpeas: Feel free to use dried chickpeas that you have cooked, instead of canned chickpeas. Just keep in mind you may need to add additional salt to the recipe. You can also replace the chickpeas with white beans if desired.