Pasta with Kale Pesto Recipe is the Healthy Comfort Food You’ll Be Making on Repeat
Pasta is one of my favorite dinners. It’s satisfying and delicious, and it’s so versatile - you can mix and match sauces, ingredients and toppings and get a fun and creative meal. Sometimes I crave a healthy pasta that has lots of veggies, especially as the warmer weather approaches, and that’s why I was so excited by this pasta with kale pesto recipe from the pros in our test kitchen. Kale is loaded with key vitamins and minerals that may lower cholesterol, protect against heart disease, improve vision and help with weight loss. Plus, it’s so tasty! In this recipe, we add kale to jarred pesto sauce to give it some oomph (not to mention glorious green color), sprinkle on some red pepper for a little kick, toss in croutons for even more crunch and finish with generous amounts of cheese. Yum!
In less than half an hour, you have an amazing and easy supper that you’ll love. Watch our video to see how simple this dish is to make.
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 lb. rotini pasta
- 10 cups chopped fresh kale, from 16-oz. pkg.
- 1 (8 oz.) jar pesto sauce
- ⅓ cup + 2 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup herbed croutons (from 5-oz. pkg.)
- Cr ushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in food processor, pulse 6 cups kale with pesto and 1⁄3 cup water until blended.
Return hot pasta to pot. Stir in pesto mixture until blended; stir in remaining 4 cups kale and 1⁄3 cup cheese until kale softens and cheese melts. Stir in croutons. Transfer to serving bowl. Top with remaining 2 Tbs. cheese and pepper flakes, if using.
Nutrition
- Calories: 512
- Fat: 21 gram
- Saturated Fat: 4 gram
- Protein: 17 gram
- Carbohydrate: 67 gram
- Fiber: 4 gram
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
- Sugar: 5 gram
- Sodium: 727 mg
Copyright 2025 A360 Media
This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 5:30 AM.