In our very first post, the 7 Ingredient Date Night Pasta, I mentioned how much Roshan and I love to make pasta! I’m constantly experimenting different pasta sauces, recipes, and ways I can make it less “carby” and more healthy! So here we are again with a delicious pasta recipe!
Not too long ago, on my weekly grocery trip to Trader Joe’s (ps – I love Trader Joe’s!) I stumbled upon their red lentil pasta. I was intrigued and knew I had to give it a try. They also had a black bean pasta, which I plan to get on my next trip to Trader Joe’s.
Since the pasta in itself was so lean (13g of protein per serving) I wanted to make sure I kept the dish relatively healthy. A hearty tomato sauce, lots of kale and a whole lot of garlic was the perfect base to bring this lentil pasta to life!! This dish hit the mark for every dietary choice – vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free and was still so delicious and hearty!
I recently remade this recipe with regular spaghetti and it tasted just as good. Whether you choose to use a lentil pasta, a whole wheat pasta or any other type of pasta in your pantry, this recipe is sure to turn out just as good!
Kale & Tomato Sauce Pasta
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 6 servings
Healthy-ing up the regular tomato sauce pasta with a lot of kale. This pasta dish is healthy and hearty!
Ingredients
- 5-6 tomatoes, blanched and crushed or one 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 pack of any pasta of your choice (I used the red lentil pasta from Trader Joe's)
- 5-6 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 4 handfuls of kale, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp crushed black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- A few leaves of fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
- Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)
- 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a teaspoon of salt and pasta to the water. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and leave it aside.
- In another large pot, heat the olive oil.
- Add the onions and garlic and sauté until they are translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, salt, crushed black pepper and herbs.
- Cover with a lid and let the tomatoes cook for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the kale and continue to sauté until the kale has wilted and has turned a deep green color (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce. Stir well so that the pasta is evenly coated.
- Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese while serving, if desired.
Courses Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 284 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 1.3 g | 2% | |
Saturated Fat 0.1 g | 1% | |
Sodium 94 mg | 4% | |
Total Carbohydrates 51.6 g | 17% | |
Dietary Fiber 6.8 g | 27% | |
Sugars 4.5 g | ||
Protein 17.6 g | 35% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
It works really well for me