Pasta with Black Kale

Name: Pasta with Black Kale
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fusilli pasta 11.3 oz; Italian kale (cavolo nero) (to be cleaned) 9.5 oz; Pecorino toscano cheese mildly aged 2.1 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Dried chili pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp; Fine salt to taste

it br de es fr

Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Pasta with black cabbage—it's got that cozy, rustic vibe of Tuscan cooking, you know? Over in Tuscany, they call it "cavolo nero," and it's really really a winter staple. Plus, this dish isn't just about comfort; it is super hearty and those tender greens just melt right into the pasta. And listen, while cavolo nero usually hangs out in soups like ribollita, this recipe has a cool twist by cooking the greens with the pasta. And then, there's a quick sauté—boom, flavor city. This method, called risottare, gives each noodle a moist, flavorful coating.

And you know what? When you add Pecorino cheese at the end, it makes every bite creamy and super savory. Can't go wrong. It's a simple but better take on a classic, perfect for busy days while keeping that deep, earthy taste that makes Tuscan kale pasta so, so delicious. In Tuscany, people love to mix things up with their cavolo nero pasta—a bit of garlic, a drizzle of good olive oil, maybe a pinch of chili. Seriously good. That's what's great about these black cabbage recipes—they are pretty much forgiving, so you can throw in your favorite stuff or just keep it simple.

Now, cavolo nero—also known as braschetta in some areas—brings this slightly peppery, almost sweet flavor, especially when it gets tender and mingles with the pasta water. Over in Florence and beyond, they like to switch up the pasta shapes or use a sharper cheese, but the soul of it stays with the black cabbage. Thing is, this dish hits all the marks: tasty, nourishing, and it gives you that real Tuscan home cooking vibe—no countryside kitchen needed. Whether you're hunting for new kale pasta recipes or diving into healthy, vegetarian, Mediterranean-style food, this Italian pasta with greens is a perfect fit. It's a dish that not only satisfies the stomach but also, to be honest, brings a little slice of Tuscany right to your table.

How to prepare Pasta with Black Kale

To prepare pasta with black kale, start by cleaning the kale: after washing it, trim the base 1 and cut off the hardest and most fibrous part of the stem 2, without necessarily removing the rest of the central rib if it is not too fibrous. Evaluate leaf by leaf to reduce waste, removing the rib only where it is not tender enough. Cut the cleaned kale into fairly thin strips 3.

Plunge the kale into a large pot of boiling salted water 4, which you will have already put on the stove for the pasta. Wait a couple of minutes for the boil to resume and add the pasta 5. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package. Meanwhile, in a large pan, gently flavor a swirl of oil with a clove of garlic, deprived of its core and pressed 6. The heat should be very low so that the oil gets flavored without the garlic darkening.

Add the dried chili 7 and mix. Meanwhile, take out 2-3 generous ladlefuls of cooking water and keep them aside in a bowl 8. Drain the pasta with kale and transfer it to the pan with the sauté 9.

Mix well and complete the cooking by finishing the pasta with the reserved water 10. Adjust the salt as needed. Finally, with the heat off, blend with a swirl of raw oil 11 and the grated pecorino 12.

Add a little more of the cooking water to achieve the right creaminess 13. Serve with a pinch of chili if desired 14. The pasta with black kale is ready to be enjoyed 15!