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Cavolo Nero Pasta (Tuscan Kale) Recipe

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4 from 53 reviews

Creamy and vibrant Cavolo Nero Pasta features Tuscan kale blended into a smooth sauce with garlic, parmesan, and lemon juice. This simple yet flavorful Italian-inspired dish combines blanched kale and garlic with pasta water and olive oil to create a luscious sauce tossed with perfectly cooked pasta for a nourishing, quick meal.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 1 bunch cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) (about 200 grams, weighed with stalks)
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 80 ml olive oil
  • 80 ml pasta water
  • 30 grams parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Cavolo Nero: Remove and discard the tough stalks from the cavolo nero, then tear the leaves into a few large pieces to ensure even blanching and easy blending.
  2. Blanch Kale and Garlic: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the cavolo nero leaves and whole garlic cloves, and blanch them together for 3 minutes to soften and mellow the flavors. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the greens and garlic and transfer them immediately to a high-powered blender.
  3. Cook the Pasta: Keep the blanching water boiling and add your pasta to cook according to package instructions, making sure not to drain any water after cooking, as it will be used for the sauce.
  4. Blend the Sauce: Into the blender with the blanched cavolo nero and garlic, add the olive oil, finely grated parmesan, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and 80 ml of the hot pasta water. Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and silky.
  5. Warm the Sauce: Pour the blended sauce into a large frying pan or skillet that can hold the pasta as well. Place the sauce over low heat just as the pasta finishes cooking, warming it gently without boiling aggressively.
  6. Toss Pasta with Sauce: Using tongs, transfer the pasta directly from the cooking pot into the sauce. Toss the pasta well to coat it evenly and let the mixture gently bubble for 2-3 minutes, tossing frequently so the sauce clings perfectly to each strand of pasta.
  7. Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the pasta and sauce for seasoning balance. Add an extra splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Serve immediately with extra grated parmesan on the side for sprinkling.

Notes

  • Blender: Use a high-powered blender or smoothie maker to achieve a smooth and silky sauce. A food processor is not ideal as it won’t blend cavolo nero finely enough. For smaller blenders, blend in batches.
  • Cavolo Nero Substitutes: Curly kale is the closest substitute; Swiss chard can also be used after removing tough stalks.
  • Cooking Water: Blanch the kale and garlic in plenty of well-salted water. Reserve enough water both for blending the sauce and cooking the pasta.
  • Pasta Water: Do not drain the pasta. Transfer it directly into the sauce to retain the starchy water, which helps loosen and bind the sauce to the pasta.

Find it online: https://deliciousyum.com/cavolo-nero-pasta-tuscan-kale-recipe/