Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Kale
Walking the line between nourishing and indulgent, this pasta dish features a rich, garlicky cream sauce, offset with the salty char of smoked salmon, a squeeze of lemon, and crispy bits of kale for a touch of wholesome intrigue. It’s a dinner that says, ‘I’ve got my sh*t together,’ even when it's coming together last-minute after hellish day of just trying to get by. You may not be able to have it all, but at least you can take comfort in a satisfying balance.
Ingredients
- 2 large lacinato kale leaves washed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 oz short pasta noodles such as casarecce or penne
- 1 tbsp butter
- 6 cloves garlic minced or finely grated
- 1 tsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 small lemon
- 6 oz thick cut smoked salmon broken into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°. Fill a large pot of with about 1-inch of salted water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- While waiting for water to boil, remove stems from kale and roughly chop. Place on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until browned and crisp.
- When water boils, cook pasta per package directions for al dente. Drain and return pasta to pot.
- While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring. Gradually pour in milk while stirring. Reduce heat as needed and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Add parmesan and ¼ tsp pepper to the saucepan, and cook until cheese is incorporated into sauce. Remove from heat.
- Add sauce to the pasta and mix together. Add salmon and zest from half the lemon. Juice lemon and add 1 tbsp lemon juice. Toss to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Divide pasta amongst serving bowls and top with crispy kale.