Ingredients
Greens
- 1 bunch fresh kale (ribs removed)
- 1 10-oz bag fresh spinach
Beans & Cheese
- 1 14-oz can white beans (navy, cannelli, great northern, or butter beans)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Herbs & Flavorings
- 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt (may need more to taste)
Pasta
- 1 lb pasta of choice
Instructions
- Cook Greens: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the kale (with ribs removed) and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the fresh spinach and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes until all the greens are wilted and bright green. Remove the greens from the pot and set aside, but keep the water boiling for later use.
- Cook Pasta: Return the same pot of water to a boil. Add your chosen pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Once cooked, strain the pasta, reserving a few cups of the pasta water for the sauce.
- Blend Sauce: Place the cooked greens, 1 cup of reserved pasta water, white beans, grated parmesan, basil leaves, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic cloves, and salt into a blender. Blend with the lid slightly ajar for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Add additional pasta water as needed to achieve your desired sauce consistency. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Serve: Toss the blended green sauce with the cooked pasta. Serve immediately, topped with extra grated parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Removing kale ribs helps achieve a smoother sauce texture.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help the sauce adhere to pasta.
- You can substitute parmesan with a vegan cheese alternative to make the dish vegan-friendly.
- Adding more lemon juice or zest can brighten the flavor further.
- Use gluten-free pasta if you need to adapt for gluten sensitivity.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
