Sizzling Garlic & Chile Oil Pasta with Crispy Kale
Ingredients
- 8 ounceskale
- 1 poundpasta (any short shape (penne, fusilli, rigatoni))
- 8 clovesgarlic
- ½ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- ¼ cupolive oil
- 1 teaspoonkosher salt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- 1lemon
- 2 ouncesparmesan cheese (or pecorino romano)
Prep
- 01
Remove the thick center stem from 8 ounces kale, then roughly chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
- 02
Mince 8 garlic cloves.
- 03
Zest and halve 1 lemon for juice.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until 1 minute before al dente (check package directions), then drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- 02
While pasta cooks, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 8 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to golden—do not burn.
- 03
Add the cooked kale to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic oil. Stir over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the kale is wilted and the edges begin to crisp.
- 04
Pour in the hot pasta and about 1/2 cup pasta water, tossing constantly over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and emulsify the oil into a light sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to reach a silky, loose consistency.
- 05
Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste). Finish with the juice of 1 lemon and a handful of freshly grated parmesan. Divide into bowls and serve immediately.
Spice Tips
For more assertive heat, increase the red pepper flakes to 3/4 teaspoon or add a pinch of cayenne. A few anchovy fillets melted into the garlic oil add savory depth without fishiness. A squeeze of hot sauce (like Frank's or sriracha) at the table gives individual control over the final kick.
This recipe is about temperature and timing—the garlic oil must stay just below burning to taste sweet rather than bitter, and the pasta water emulsifies the oil into a cohesive sauce. If you prefer extra heat, add another pinch of red pepper flakes to taste.