Collard Greens Pasta

Collard greens pasta

The Spruce / Molly Watson

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This dish is quick, easy, nutritious, deliciously tempting, and works with greens of all sorts. Our favorite green here is a lacianto kale, often called dino kale, Tuscan kale, or black kale—blanch it and then cut it into thin ribbons to tangle in with the pasta. Regular kale, Russian kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, or turnip greens are all great options too. Want a bit of kick? Try mustard greens.

Use the same pot of water to blanch the greens before boiling the pasta and then cooking the whole dish in said pot for minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch cooking greens, such as kale, lacinato kale, collard greens, turnip greens, chard

  • 1 tablespoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

  • 1 pound spaghetti, or linguini

  • 2 anchovy fillets, optional

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

  • 3/4 cup freshly shredded grating cheese, such as Parmesan, Asiago, or aged pecorino

Steps to Make It

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, trim and wash greens, leaving the leaves whole.

  2. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to boiling water. Add greens and blanch until wilted, from 30 seconds for chard to 2 minutes for lacinato kale, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the leaves to a colander and rinse them under cool water.

  3. Boil pasta until tender to the bite. Drain reserved 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside.

  4. Meanwhile, chop anchovies, if using, garlic, and cooked greens.

  5. Once pasta is drained, return the pot to medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, pepper flakes, if using, and anchovies, if using. Cook, stirring until garlic turns just the tiniest bit golden.

  6. Add chopped greens and stir to combine. Add reserved liquid and bring to a boil. Add pasta, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Take off heat. Stir in half of the shredded cheese. Taste and add salt to taste, if you like.

  7. Divide between plates or pasta bowls, garnish with remaining shredded cheese and serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
337 Calories
13g Fat
42g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 337
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 2096mg 91%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 22mg 111%
Calcium 212mg 16%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 215mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)