Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Kale Pesto
whole wheat spaghetti with a healthy, flavorful kale pesto, topped with fresh basil and parmesan cheese
servings: 2-4
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 small bunch kale, stemmed + thinly sliced (about 6 oz)
- kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup chopped, toasted walnuts
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (about 1 ½ oz)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp capers
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- ½ lb whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 lb shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced (optional)*
- garnish: fresh basil leaves & parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the kale and a good pinch of salt. Let cook for a couple of minutes until the kale is tender. Stir in the garlic and lemon zest. Cook for another minute. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
- Add the kale to a food processor, along with the walnuts, parmesan, basil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, capers, crushed red pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pulse until very finely minced (the pesto should have a “roughly smooth” consistency).
- Drop the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling, salted water. Stir well and cook for a minute shorter than the package’s instructions. Right before draining, reserve a ½ cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, add a little bit more olive oil to coat the bottom of the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until caramelized and tender, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet, along with the reserved pasta water and pesto. Stir well and allow to cook for a couple of minutes as the sauce comes together. Serve immediately with fresh basil and parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
*This pasta can easily be made without the mushrooms if you’d like. Just skip step 4 and move on to step 5. Or, you can substitute any other vegetable you like. Diced butternut squash, sliced fennel, and sliced brussels sprouts would all be great options.