A delicious pasta dish using one of nature’s healthiest greens! Kale is a superfood. It is the ultimate dark leafy green, but it’s also a versatile and tasty veggie that can be added to so many things. My mushroom kale pasta is a favorite. It is hearty, flavorful, and healthy. The recipe comes together in minutes, making it a great weeknight meal. I love this dish because it’s saucy, tasty, and very satisfying. The mushrooms add a meaty flavor, but if you want to make it even heartier, you can add some cooked chicken, shrimp, or other protein. The red pepper flakes add some heat, but you can always leave them out if you want to tone it down. Either way, this delicious dish is a great way to satisfy and enjoy one of nature’s healthiest ingredients.
Belle’s Mushroom Kale Pasta
3-4 large bunches of kale (about 1½ pounds)
2 cups sliced brown mushrooms
4 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces spaghetti
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Strip the kale leaves from ribs and stems, then tear the leaves into 3-inch pieces. Cook kale in boiling water until bright green for about 2 minutes. Transfer kale to a colander using tongs and rinse under cold water, tossing; squeeze out excess liquid from leaves. Keep water at a boil (you’ll use it for the pasta). Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium. Cook mushrooms and garlic until tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Add kale to the pot and cook until very tender, about 8 minutes. In the boiling water, cook pasta for about 3 minutes. Using tongs, add pasta to kale; splash in about 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing and adding more pasta water as needed until sauce lightly coats and continues to cook the pasta, about 2 minutes. Serve pasta topped with Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
