Ancient Romans preserved anchovies in salt for 6 months—these umami bombs turn boring kale pasta into liquid gold.
Kale Pasta with Anchovy Breadcrumbs
Dive into a bowl of deliciousness with our Kale Pasta, where fresh, leafy greens meet a luscious, creamy sauce that’s both rich and wholesome. Finished off with crunchy anchovy breadcrumbs for that perfect salty kick, this dish is a delightful twist on your traditional pasta night. Get ready to indulge in a vibrant, flavor-packed meal that’s as satisfying as it is nutritious!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 3 basil stems
- 3 garlic clove
- 8 large stems of dino kale, leaves removed and stems discarded
- 1 lemon (for zesting and juice from half lemon)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 3 to 6 anchovy fillets (depending on your salty preference)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (60 ml)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs (we used pretzel bread and cut them up into tiny squares) (79.9 ml)
- Olive oil
- 1 bag of pasta (we used rigatoni)
- 1/3 pasta water (79.9 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- salt and pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the kale leaves. Cook for a minute before transferring to an ice bath - this helps keep the sauce vibrant.
- 2
While that’s cooling, salt another pot of boiling water and add your pasta.
- 3
Strain the leaves and squeeze out excess water, then add to a blender with 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, basil, lemon zest, juice from half of the lemon, pasta water, parmesan cheese, cream and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
- 4
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil to medium low, then add the anchovies. Sauté for 1 minute until the anchovies start breaking down, then add the bread crumbs and continue to saute until they turn golden and crispy.
- 5
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta, followed by adding the blended kale sauce. Stir, toss and agitate to marry and coat all of the pasta perfectly.
- 6
Plate the pasta and garnish with crispy bread crumbs and additional grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch kale for exactly 60-90 seconds then shock in ice water to preserve chlorophyll and maintain the bright green color through enzymatic deactivation.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the kale sauce to pasta.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Cook anchovies on medium-low heat (around 275°F) for 60 seconds to render their oils without burning, creating the fat base that will crisp your breadcrumbs.technique275°F, 60 seconds
- ✓Squeeze blanched kale until 70-80% of water is removed before blending to prevent a watery sauce that won't adhere to pasta properly.technique70-80% water removal
- ✓Toast breadcrumbs for 3-4 minutes in the anchovy oil until they reach 165°F internal temperature for maximum crispness that won't get soggy when plated.timing3-4 minutes, 165°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Ancient Romans preserved anchovies in salt for 6 months—these umami bombs turn boring kale pasta into liquid gold.
Kale Pasta with Anchovy Breadcrumbs
Dive into a bowl of deliciousness with our Kale Pasta, where fresh, leafy greens meet a luscious, creamy sauce that’s both rich and wholesome. Finished off with crunchy anchovy breadcrumbs for that perfect salty kick, this dish is a delightful twist on your traditional pasta night. Get ready to indulge in a vibrant, flavor-packed meal that’s as satisfying as it is nutritious!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 3 basil stems
- 3 garlic clove
- 8 large stems of dino kale, leaves removed and stems discarded
- 1 lemon (for zesting and juice from half lemon)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 3 to 6 anchovy fillets (depending on your salty preference)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (60 ml)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (60 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs (we used pretzel bread and cut them up into tiny squares) (79.9 ml)
- Olive oil
- 1 bag of pasta (we used rigatoni)
- 1/3 pasta water (79.9 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- salt and pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the kale leaves. Cook for a minute before transferring to an ice bath - this helps keep the sauce vibrant.
- 2
While that’s cooling, salt another pot of boiling water and add your pasta.
- 3
Strain the leaves and squeeze out excess water, then add to a blender with 2 tbsp olive oil, garlic, basil, lemon zest, juice from half of the lemon, pasta water, parmesan cheese, cream and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then set aside.
- 4
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil to medium low, then add the anchovies. Sauté for 1 minute until the anchovies start breaking down, then add the bread crumbs and continue to saute until they turn golden and crispy.
- 5
Once the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta, followed by adding the blended kale sauce. Stir, toss and agitate to marry and coat all of the pasta perfectly.
- 6
Plate the pasta and garnish with crispy bread crumbs and additional grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch kale for exactly 60-90 seconds then shock in ice water to preserve chlorophyll and maintain the bright green color through enzymatic deactivation.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining because the 6-8% starch content acts as a natural emulsifier to bind the kale sauce to pasta.technique6-8% starch content
- ✓Cook anchovies on medium-low heat (around 275°F) for 60 seconds to render their oils without burning, creating the fat base that will crisp your breadcrumbs.technique275°F, 60 seconds
- ✓Squeeze blanched kale until 70-80% of water is removed before blending to prevent a watery sauce that won't adhere to pasta properly.technique70-80% water removal
- ✓Toast breadcrumbs for 3-4 minutes in the anchovy oil until they reach 165°F internal temperature for maximum crispness that won't get soggy when plated.timing3-4 minutes, 165°F