Garlic-Oil Pasta with Crispy Kale and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 poundpasta
- 1 bunchkale
- 6 clovesgarlic
- ½ cupolive oil
- 1lemon
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- ·kosher salt
- ·black pepper
Prep
- 01
Mince 6 cloves garlic.
- 02
Cut 1 lemon in half for juicing.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- 02
While the pasta cooks, remove the kale leaves from the stems and tear into bite-sized pieces. Discard stems.
- 03
In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- 04
Increase heat to medium-high. Add kale to the skillet in batches, stirring until it wilts and the edges become crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes total.
- 05
Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the kale. Pour in 1/2 cup reserved pasta water and toss well. If the mixture seems dry, add more pasta water a splash at a time.
- 06
Squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
For warmth, increase red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon or add a small pinch of cayenne. Fresh mint or basil stirred in at the end brings brightness. A pinch of garlic powder mixed with the red pepper flakes deepens the savory note.
Kale becomes increasingly crispy the longer it cooks, so you can adjust texture to your preference. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 2 days and reheat gently with a splash of water.