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kale noodles on a blue plate with lemons and parmesan in the background
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One-Pot Lemony Kale Spaghetti

One-Pot Lemony Kale Pasta is a super simple vegetarian weeknight pasta dinner. Kind of like a riff on spaghetti aglio e olio with lots of kale and lemon added in. Made with lentil pasta to bump up the protein content, this is an easy and satisfying vegetarian or vegan pasta recipe. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Kale Noodles, Kale Pasta
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 631kcal
Author Katie Trant

Ingredients

  • 8 oz spaghetti
  • 8 oz lentil spaghetti or more regular spaghetti
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale de-stemmed and sliced into ribbons
  • 1 large lemon zested
  • 2 large lemons juiced
  • 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup reserved pasta water
  • Parmesan for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pull the kale leaves off of their stems. Stack them on top of one another, and use a sharp knife to slice into thin ribbons.
    1 bunch lacinato kale
  • Zest one lemon, and juice two lemons. Thinly slice the garlic clove.
    1 large lemon
  • Put a large pot of water over high heat, covered, until it comes to the boil.
  • Salt well, and add the pasta.
    8 oz spaghetti, 8 oz lentil spaghetti
  • Cook the pasta about 8-10 minutes, until it is al dente - it should have just a little bite to it.
  • In the last minute of cooking time for the pasta, add the kale to the pot and stir to submerge it.
  • Remove one-cup of water from the pasta pot and set aside.
    1 cup reserved pasta water
  • Remove the pasta and kale from the heat, and drain well.
  • Return the same pot to medium heat.
  • Add lemon juice, lemon zest, thinly sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, and olive oil to the pot. Stir well to combine.
    2 large lemons, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Let the garlic oil cook for 3-5 minutes, until the garlic is just beginning to turn golden.
  • Add the pasta and kale, and stir to combine well.
  • Let the pasta stand for 5 minutes for the flavours to combine.
  • Give everything a good stir, and add a touch of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up a bit.
    1 cup reserved pasta water
  • Serve hot, with shavings of Parmesan.
    Parmesan for serving

Notes

  • Nutrition values are an estimate only.
  • Prepare the kale, lemon zest, and garlic ahead of time, or while the pasta is cooking.

    Do I have to use lentil pasta?

    Nope! You can use 100% regular pasta if you prefer, and you can also use 100% legume pasta, rice pasta, or whatever kind of pasta floats your boat. The world is your spaghetti noodle oyster.
    Feel free to use another pasta shape if that's what you've got on hand. 

    Can I use a different type of green?

    Totes. For starters, you could use curly kale rather than lacinato kale. You could also sub in a different green, such as spinach, but I'd toss that with hot noodles at the end rather than adding it to the boiling water.
    You could also throw in broccoli florets or broccoli rabe rather than leafy greens. 

    Can I make this in advance?

    You can, although this dish comes together so quickly that I don't think it's necessary from a food prep perspective. Be warned that the acidity in the lemon juice will turn the kale a funky brown colour as time goes on. It's still perfectly fine to eat, it just looks a bit weird.  
    You may find that when re-heating your pasta you need to add an extra splash of liquid, like a bit of olive oil or broth, to loosen it up. 

Nutrition

Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 964mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6892IU | Vitamin C: 124mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 5mg