Healthy comfort food is always a good idea, and this creamy kale pasta is perfect for a weeknight meal! Decadent from a creamy kale sauce, and getting your greens in, it's a cozy vegetarian meal that takes less than 30 minutes to come together.
Love creamy sauces? Do have a peek at my creamy tarragon chicken for another time!
What does healthy comfort food mean to you? For me it's a carby, warming and crave-worthy meal with a good dose of healthy veggies. Much like this kale pasta, I think my turkey sweet potato hash and my butternut squash pasta bake fit the bill!
Making this creamy kale pasta is very easy, with just a little prep in soaking the pistachios (or cashews) and then it comes together in your skillet. It's creamy (as the name suggests!), indulgent and has those healthy kale greens to lighten it up.
Have a peek at my red pepper pesto pasta for another pasta night idea!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Gets in those greens! While I love a good kale salad, this pasta is perfect for those chilly days when we crave all the goodness (along with some carbs . . . !).
Made with mostly pantry and fridge staples. We make this pasta with ingredients usually in the pantry, or commonly on the weekly shopping list!
Quick and easy to cook. This is the perfect quick weeknight pasta meal, and I think you may even be able to persuade kids to eat their greens with this kale pasta sauce.
🥬 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Kale - I use curly kale for this pasta recipe, but you can also use lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur kale).
- Linguine - this is my favorite, but fettucine, tagliatelle or spaghetti would work well too!
- Pistachios - make sure to use ones that are unsalted and haven't been roasted or flavored in any way.
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap pistachios for cashews. If cashews work for you, then these can be used to make the base of the kale pasta sauce.
Swap apple cider vinegar for lemon juice. Good with citrus? Add a squeeze of lemon juice instead.
Add more garlic! As it's the 'big' flavor of the dish, add another clove or two if you like!
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this creamy kale pasta is very simple, with just a few steps:
Step 1
Soak the nuts. Add your pistachios (or cashews if using) to a jar or container and pour over warm water. Leave to soak for at least two hours (image 1).
Step 2
Make the nut 'cream'. Rinse the nuts in fresh cold water in a sieve. Add to a blender, along with half a cup of water (image 2). Blend to a thin 'cream'.
Step 3
Cook the pasta. Cook your pasta according to packet instructions, adding a pinch of salt to the pot (image 3). Make sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water!
Step 4
Fry onion and garlic. On a low heat fry the onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the dried thyme and zucchini and cook for a further 3-4 minutes (image 4).
Step 5
Make the creamy kale pasta sauce. Pour the heavy cream, pistachio 'cream' and apple cider vinegar into the skillet, then tip in the kale and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is wilted and tender (image 5). Add tablespoons of the reserved pasta water as needed.
Step 6
Combine the pasta with the kale sauce. Use tongs to add the linguine to the skillet and stir well so it becomes coated in the creamy kale sauce (image 6). Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and garnish with some broken pistachios.
If it works for you, add a sprinkle of Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Shred the kale quite finely.
- Make sure the pistachios are unsalted, and haven't been roasted or flavored in any way.
- Garlic is the 'big' flavor of this pasta, so if you like a stronger taste add a clove (or two!) more.
- Keep the heat of the skillet fairly low when first frying the onion and garlic to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Don't forget to reserve the pasta water, and then pour into the skillet as needed. It will help thicken the sauce. I tend to use about half a cup.
📋 Frequently asked questions
I like to use curly kale, but lacinato / dinosaur kale will also be good!
Any pasta should work well, including fettucine, spaghetti or smaller pasta such as penne or fusilli.
The sauce will thicken as it cooks down. It takes 4-5 minutes. If you want more sauce, simply add a little more cream.
🍽 How to serve pasta with kale sauce
You can serve this creamy kale pasta as it is for a tasty vegetarian comfort food dinner, or add some sides:
- Some chicken, such as my easy panko chicken or my sage brown butter chicken fillets, on the side would be good, or perhaps some baked cod or other fish.
- Salads are always fresh and light as a side for pasta. My fennel and pear salad would work so well, and my beet broccoli salad would add in some tasty veggies!
🍝 More comfort food pasta recipes
Find so many tasty (and healthy-ish!) ideas on my pasta recipes page, including my broccoli asparagus pasta and my ricotta pesto pasta. Some recent recipes to enjoy:
I'm always in the kitchen, come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐ or comment if you tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Kale Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz linguine or pasta of choice
For the creamy kale sauce
- 4 cups kale stems removed, shredded
- ½ zucchini sliced
- ½ onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced or finely diced
- ½ cup pistachios unsalted, more to garnish*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Place the pistachios in a jar of warm water for at least two hours, then rinse in a fine mesh sieve with fresh water.
- Pulse blend the pistachios along with half a cup of water. It will form a thin pistachio 'cream'.
- Cook your linguine (or pasta of choice) according to packet instructions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water.
- On a low heat fry the onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the dried thyme and zucchini and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
- Pour the heavy cream, pistachio 'cream' and apple cider vinegar into the skillet, then tip in the kale and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is wilted and tender. Add tablespoons of the reserved pasta water as needed.
- Use tongs to add the linguine to the skillet and stir well so it becomes coated in the creamy kale sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and garnish with some broken pistachios.
Notes
- Shred the kale quite finely.
- Make sure the pistachios are unsalted, and haven't been roasted or flavored in any way.
- Garlic is the 'big' flavor of this pasta, so if you like a stronger taste add a clove (or two!) more.
- Keep the heat of the skillet fairly low when first frying the onion and garlic to prevent the garlic from burning.
- Don't forget to reserve the pasta water, and then pour into the skillet as needed. It will help thicken the sauce. I tend to use about half a cup.
- If Parmesan works for you (likely not my low histamine readers), then add a sprinkle to serve.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- kale is not rated.
- pasta (wheat), apple cider vinegar and garlic, which score 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
Deborah says
Hey, echoing other people's comments. Your recipes have been such a lifesaver for me. I wanted to ask for this recipe could I use coconut milk instead of heavy cream? Thanks
Claire says
Glad to hear that they have been so helpful! And I haven't tried it with coconut milk, but I don't see why it wouldn't work well. It will obviously have a different flavor. Hope you enjoy!
Alka says
Another winner that my whole family enjoyed. Thank you!!
Claire says
You're welcome and so lovely that the pasta was enjoyed by all the family!
Monica says
Great recipe, easy, uses kitchen staples, vegetarian, easy to make gluten free, lectin free, low histamine what more could you wish!! Thank You
Claire says
Oh, lovely to hear that you enjoyed it Monica! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment too.
Lagene says
Your recipes are so delicious that I know I must have done something wrong here! Mine was very bland even after adding more garlic and salt.
Claire says
Hi Lagene, I think we all have individual tastes so perhaps this wasn't 'punchy' enough for you? You could add some extra onion, garlic and herbs to give it more flavor, but it was meant to be a fairly mild creamy sauce with greens. But of course add extras to suit your tastes!
Shaula says
Good morning: what you have created on this web site has been my life saver. I recently acquired URTICARIA from hell. I have MECFS and RA therefore; was eating anti inflammatory (histamine) diet that I did not know is heavily loaded with histamines plus drinking tons of green tea all day long 🛑! My dietary life just turned upside down added with Dupixent shots twice a month, major anti histamine prescription and DAO enzymes before eating to control insanity making itching. Also I have low blood sugar and need to eat a snack every few hours so take lots of DAO every day. I searched the web on what I COULD eat with in trepidation and frustration. Going to grocery store was a long nightmare of reading labels and googling on phone finding most foods and beverages (that I love) are histamine laden or histamine stimulants. “Can’t eat this, can’t eat that, can’t drink this, can’t drink that . . .” Hours later I’d arrive home with one very small bag of food that you could hold in two hands. Mostly white breads, milk and eggs. Been there have you? I digress, so please keep writing new ways to eat anti histamine healthy and tasty. Thank you from the bottom of my stomach. Sha’ula
Claire says
I'm sorry to hear things have been so tough, and I agree it is very difficult to change diet to begin with isn't it. I'm glad the recipes are helpful. Just a note that this follows the SIGHI list of low histamine foods, rather than being an 'anti histamine' diet. Working with a dietician may be helpful for you too.
Rachel says
Delicious, and my whole family loved it! Always a win when I can find a low-histamine recipe that the whole family loves. Thank you!
Claire says
So lovely to hear this! Always good when everyone can have the same meal isn't it.
RL says
Could you use macadamia nuts?
Claire says
I haven't tried it myself, but I think it would work well! It may actually make a more creamy sauce due to the consistency of macadamias.