Gluten-free Pasta with Fresh Kale and Tomatoes

I bought some kale the other day thinking I would make soup out of it.  While it still feels like winter where I live, it is June and a light, summery pasta dish sounded like a better way to use these lovely greens.

The dish is pretty straight-forward and I have found that I am more likely to eat greens when they are mixed in with other foods I love.

The dish can be used as either a main dish or a side dish.  The pasta makes a great companion to a grilled chicken breast, Italian sausage, flank steak, or any other centerpiece you are serving.  For a main dish, simply chop up the chicken, sausage or steak into pieces and mix it into the pasta.  Use pine nuts, cannellini beans, or some sauteed red peppers and mushrooms to make it a vegetarian main dish.

Recipe for Fresh Kale and Tomato Pasta (gluten-free)

• 1 8-oz package of gluten-free pasta (penne, spirals, elbows, etc.)
• 1 bunch of fresh kale, rinsed well to remove dirt
• 1 tsp minced garlic (~1 clove)
• 2 medium sized tomatoes or 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, chopped
• ½ bottle of your favorite marinara sauce
• Olive oil for pan
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: Add-ins like pine nuts, grilled chicken pieces, etc.

Pasta

• Boil a large pot of water.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
• When water is boiling, add pasta to it, stirring regularly to prevent noodles from sticking.
• Taste pasta to test bite.  When it is tender, but still firm, drain the water and rinse the pasta thoroughly.  Set aside.

Kale

• While pasta is boiling, prepare the kale.  Do this by first slicing the leafy part of the green away from the stalk, and then tearing the leaves into smaller chunks (2-3” pieces)
• Heat a pan to medium-high heat.  Then add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and swirl it around the pan.
• Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and kale leaves.
• Lightly sauté the kale leaves, adding a tablespoon of water to help steam them a little bit.  They will turn a bright green.
• After the kale has cooked for about 2 minutes, it should be wilted, but not mushy.

Pulling it all together

• Turn the pan to medium heat, add the tomatoes and pasta to the kale (along with any other add-ins you’d like), and toss for 1 minute.  Add a little bit of olive oil if you need to prevent sticking.
• Add the marinara sauce to the pasta mixture and mix until well-coated with sauce.  Heat through for a moment.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve.

Takeways:

1. I’d love to hear what you think about this dish or about creative ways that you’ve found to add greens to the food you cook, so please leave a comment below.

2. If you want to learn more tips for preparing gluten-free pasta, sign up for our weekly GF/DF recipes & tips. As a thank you, you’ll receive a FREE copy of our guide: “10 Secrets to Making Fantastic Gluten-Free Noodles and Pasta.”

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