This lemon kale pasta is coated in a creamy, bright green sauce made by blending raw kale with vegan yogurt, vegan cheese, garlic and a big squeeze of lemon. It comes together in about 15 minutes, tastes fresh and tangy with a little cheesy richness, and is just as good cold as it is warm.
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What makes this kale pasta different is the sauce. Instead of sautéing the greens and tossing them in at the end, the kale goes straight into the blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients and comes out silky and smooth. The yogurt makes it creamy without any cooking, the lemon keeps it bright, and a spoonful of maple syrup rounds off the bitter edge that kale can have. The result clings to every piece of pasta, so you get kale in every bite without chewing through big leafy pieces.
It's a great way to use up a big bunch of kale, it's naturally vegan, and the sauce is ready before the pasta finishes cooking. Make it for a quick weeknight dinner or pack the leftovers for lunch.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pasta. Short shapes like rotini, fusilli or penne hold the most sauce. Gluten-free and chickpea pasta both work.
- Kale. Curly or lacinato (Tuscan) kale are both fine. Strip out the tough stems and chop the leaves so they blend easily.
- Soy yogurt. Use plain, unsweetened yogurt for the creamy base. Any unsweetened vegan yogurt works, such as coconut, almond or oat.
- Vegan cheese. Grated vegan cheese adds a salty, cheesy note. See this guide to vegan cheese for brands to try, or use ¼ cup of nutritional yeast instead.
- Lemon. Fresh lemon juice gives the sauce its tang. Lime juice works in a pinch.
- Maple syrup. Just a tablespoon to balance the lemon and the kale. Agave or another liquid sweetener is fine.
- Garlic powder and salt. Garlic powder blends evenly into the raw sauce. You can use one small fresh garlic clove instead if you like a sharper bite.
How to Make Kale Pasta
1. Cook the pasta. Boil the pasta according to the package directions, usually 10 to 12 minutes. Save about ½ cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
2. Add the sauce ingredients to a blender. While the pasta cooks, put the kale, soy yogurt, salt, garlic powder, maple syrup, vegan cheese and lemon juice in a blender or food processor.
3. Blend until smooth. Blend until the kale has completely broken down and the sauce is bright green and creamy. Scrape down the sides once or twice.
4. Toss and serve. Toss the drained pasta with the sauce. Add a splash of pasta water if it looks thick, taste for salt, and serve with chili flakes or fresh herbs on top.
Helpful Tips
Blend until it's truly smooth. The whole point of this kale pasta sauce is its creamy texture, so don't stop blending when the kale is just chopped up. Keep going until there are no visible flecks of leaf, which takes about a minute in a regular blender. A high-powered blender like a Ninja Professional Plus gets it silkiest, but a food processor works too if you scrape the bowl a few times.
Thin the sauce with pasta water. Depending on how much your kale weighs and how thick your yogurt is, the sauce can come out more like a pesto than a creamy coating. Starchy pasta water fixes that. Add it a tablespoon or two at a time while you toss, until the sauce coats the pasta and looks glossy.
Salt to taste at the end. Vegan cheeses vary a lot in saltiness, and so does pasta water. Toss everything together first, then taste and add more salt and a little more lemon juice if it needs a lift. A pinch of salt is often the difference between flat and fantastic here.
Remove the stems. Kale stems are woody and fibrous, and they keep the sauce from getting completely smooth. Pull the leaves off the stems before measuring, and lightly pack the chopped leaves into the cup.
Make the sauce while the water boils. The sauce needs no cooking, so it's ready long before the pasta is. If you're working ahead, keep it covered in the fridge and toss it with hot pasta when you're ready to eat.
Variations
- Gluten-free or chickpea pasta. Swap in your favorite gluten-free pasta, or use chickpea or lentil pasta for extra protein. If you like chickpea pasta, try this One Pot Chickpea Pasta too.
- Other greens. Replace some or all of the kale with spinach, arugula or Swiss chard. Spinach makes a milder sauce, and arugula gives it a peppery kick.
- Add beans. Stir in a can of drained white beans or chickpeas with the pasta to make it more filling.
- Chili flakes. Blend a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce, or sprinkle them on top for a little heat.
- Fresh herbs. Blend a handful of basil or parsley in with the kale for a more herby sauce.
Serving Ideas
Lemon kale pasta is a complete meal on its own, but it's easy to round out. For a green-on-green dinner, serve it with one of these kale salads or a simple tomato and cucumber salad. On colder nights, start with a bowl of white bean kale soup, or set out a dish of marinated olives and some crusty bread.
It also makes a great packed lunch. Because the sauce is served cold to begin with, the pasta tastes just as good straight from the fridge as it does warm, so there's no microwave needed. Pack it in a lunchbox with some cherry tomatoes and an extra lemon wedge, and it's ready to eat at your desk or on the go.
Storing & Freezing
Keep leftover kale pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The pasta soaks up some of the sauce as it sits, so stir in a splash of water or a squeeze of lemon before eating. Enjoy it cold, or warm it gently in a pan or the microwave.
Freezing the finished pasta isn't recommended, since the cooked pasta turns soft and the yogurt-based sauce can separate as it thaws. If you want to make the sauce ahead, it keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days in a covered jar. Give it a good stir before tossing it with hot pasta.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more vegan pastas to try:
- Vegan Avocado Pasta
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Vegan Cacio e Pepe
- Sweet Potato Pasta
- Caramelized Onion Pasta
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta
- 5 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 cup soy yogurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup vegan cheese, grated
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tbsp)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, usually 10 to 12 minutes. Save about ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.8 oz pasta
- While the pasta cooks, add the kale, soy yogurt, salt, garlic powder, maple syrup, vegan cheese and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.5 cups kale, 1 cup soy yogurt, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 cup vegan cheese
- Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if it's too thick. Taste, add more salt if needed, and serve with chili flakes or fresh herbs.
La La says
Wow, this is very yummy. I only had a barely 3 cups kale around, so 2 cups were spinach. With gluten free pasta (a corny kind.). Turned out great! There did seem to be A LOT of sauce, but all good, it’s so delicious. I also LOVE that the sauce is raw! Thank you so much for this recipe, Nicole
Nina says
I made a non vegan version and it turned out pretty good! Very bright and refreshing for a summer meal. And super easy and quick too!