According to WebMD Collard greens are one of the most nutritious plants in the garden, packed with antioxidants that nourish you from the inside out. Your favourite collard greens penne pasta topped with amazing green pesto makes a comforting, creamy meal perfect for any season. Their mildly bitter, planty flavour fades into the background, allowing the savoury pesto and toasted nuts to shine through. Just a few simple ingredients create a bowl of homemade deliciousness.
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Kid-friendly and quicker than a takeaway, Collard Greens Penne Pasta could be your new favorite weeknight secret weapon. While the neighbours rush out for fast food, you’ll be enjoying a warm, nourishing bowl of comfort that gives your body the love it deserves.
Cook penne pasta and reserve some starchy cooking water, then toss with the collard greens pesto, adding splashes of reserved water as needed for a smooth consistency. Top with extra parmesan, nuts or seeds and dip in!
Collard Greens Penne Pasta Recipe
Collard Greens Penne Pasta Recipe
Difficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes15
minutes20
minutesKid-friendly and quicker than a takeaway, Collard Greens Penne Pasta could be your new favourite weeknight secret weapon.
Ingredients
300 grams (10.5 ounces) collard greens
60 millilitres (1/4 cup) olive oil extra virgin
50g (1/2 cup) toasted nuts and seeds (e.g. almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds)
50g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste
400 grams (14 ounces) gluteen free penne pasta
Water to cook the pasta
Directions
- Thoroughly wash the collard greens in cold water. Remove and discard the tough stalks. Chop the leaves into small pieces.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water.
- Add the collard greens to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain the collard greens.
- Drain the cooled collard greens and squeeze out any excess water.
- Collard Green Pesto
- Place the blanched collard greens, olive oil, toasted nuts and seeds, grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt in a food processor.
- Process until the ingredients are well combined and you have a smooth pesto consistency.
- If necessary, add a little more olive oil to achieve the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
- Pasta
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the packet instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving a small amount of pasta water.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the collard green pesto. Toss well to coat the pasta evenly. If the pesto is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water to thin it and help it adhere to the pasta.
- Serve the pasta with the pesto and garnish with extra grated Parmesan and a sprinkling of nuts or seeds if you like. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of pesto to taste.
- You can store any leftover pesto in an airtight container.
Store leftover pesto for up to a week for a quick weeknight meal, to top sandwiches, pizza or avocado toast. One bite of this leafy collard green pesto pasta and your soul will be satisfied, nourished from within by the simple, healthy cabbage. An easy, adaptable recipe perfect for your regular rotation.
More Collard Greens Recipes
Health Benefits of Collard Greens
Collard greens are not just some bland vegetable – they’re one of the most powerful superfoods on the planet. Here are just 4 of the incredible benefits collard greens can give you:
FACT #1: Rich in Vitamin K
Collard greens have over 700% of your vitamin K needs in just one cup. Vitamin K is essential for healthy blood clotting, strong bones and even fighting inflammation in your body. For bone health and beyond, collard green should be your new best friend.
FACT #2: High in antioxidants
Collard greens is king when it comes to antioxidants, especially bone-strengthening vitamin C, beta-carotene and vision-protecting lutein. Antioxidants are your body’s true defenders, neutralising disease-causing free radicals before they can damage your health.
FACT #3: Good source of calcium
A single cup of cooked collard greens provides 27% of your daily calcium requirement – and none of the hormonal drawbacks of cow’s milk. For strong, healthy bones, collard greens are a must in your diet.
FACT #4: Fibre powerhouse
Nearly 1/3 of people don’t get enough fibre, but just one cup of collard greens packs in 5 grams – 20% of what you need each day for weight loss, digestion and blood sugar control. High-fibre, nutrient-dense kale is the perfect solution for overall health and wellness.
These nutritional facts highlight the many health benefits of including collard greens in your diet. Not only are they delicious, but they also provide a wealth of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to support your overall wellbeing.
More information about Collard Green:
Collard Green, healthy for you?
Collard Green Nutrition facts
7 Benefits of Collard Greens
