Pasta is one of those things that take me straight back to my childhood. My dad undoubtedly makes the best tomato sauce in the world. Mind you, it takes him hours to prepare since he tends to make a huge batch and it involves chopping all the garlic and onions that the world has to offer. At least that is what I thought each time I entered the kitchen and peeked onto the table while he was cutting onions and peeling tomatoes with the patience only a zen master could muster.
For years I tried to cut the very labour intense task down to a minimum while keeping the flavours. Don't get me wrong I love cooking but when it is midweek and the day has been rough I need something that is done quickly. So here it is. The quick version of my childhood's favourite dish. I added some kale to it because it is very tender this time of the year. Especially when you pick it fresh from the garden like we did. The kale in this dish is called "red russian", it is very easy to grow and frost hardy.
Spaghetti with Melted Tomatoes and Kale
A dish with a delicious sauce that almost cooks itself in the time the pasta needs to get done. Ingredients are listed as: metric ( imperial )
Ingredients
- 160 g 6 ounces spaghetti, choose gluten free if you like
- 150 g 4 cups chopped kale
- 200 g 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper pepper
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic with their peel on
- nutritional yeast optional, for serving
Instructions
- Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a heavy metal skillet or cast iron pan. Add the tomatoes and garlic to the pan, cover them and let them cook gently over medium to high heat. Do not peel the garlic, if you do so it will burn and turn bitter.
- Take a big pot and cook the pasta following the instructions of the package. Right before draining, scoop a cup of the cooking water out and set it aside. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- By the time the pasta is cooked and drained the tomatoes and garlic should have softened up and you can gently squeeze the garlic in the pan and remove the peel. Add the chopped kale and pasta and gently toss until all is well combined and the kale slightly wilted. This should not take longer than a minute. There is no need to cook it further if you have very fresh kale. If the pasta is too dry then add some of the cooking water to cover the pasta evenly with the sauce.
Notes
Serve the pasta topped with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, if you wish.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Spaghetti with Melted Tomatoes and Kale
Serving Size
1 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
376
% Daily Value*
Fat
21
g
32
%
Saturated Fat
2.5
g
16
%
Sodium
265
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
79
g
26
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
4.5
g
5
%
Protein
15.5
g
31
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Jackfruit
This was delicious. I added a lot of garlic! =D
MeatFreeMom
Perfect for using kale up that is a bit past it's prime!
Jessie
I love this so much. I made this a dozen times since I came across this recipe. Yesterday I added some olives and fresh chillies. It was so very, very good!
Dan
Found this on Pinterest. Fabulous!