Cavolo Nero Pasta, or Tuscan Kale Pasta, is a creamy, rich, moreish dish that has a long tradition in Tuscan and Italian cuisine. This velvety "pasta con cavolo nero" is vegan and pairs well with my swirled vegan garlic bread, requires only 8 ingredients and 20 minutes to get from the pot to your plate.
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Introducing your new favorite way to get a healthy dose of greens - Cavolo Nero Pasta, or "pasta con cavolo nero" in Italian. Loaded with hearty Tuscan kale (black kale), this creamy, nourishing dish is as versatile as it is delicious. Paired with classic ingredients (veganized) frequently used in Tuscan pasta dishes - cream and sun-dried tomatoes - this Tuscan pasta recipe is so easy, it can be enjoyed any time of year.
This recipe was inspired by my Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff and my creamy Avocado Pasta, and pairs well with my amazing cashew Vegan Parmesan and my Spiced Orange Gin Spritz. Serving suggestions include my swirled Vegan Garlic Bread or my easy Focaccia Bread Recipe.
🍅 What Goes Into Cavolo Nero Pasta
For your convenience, you may shop this recipe from the comfort of your own home by clicking on the links below the ingredient list.
- Spaghetti - I often use whole wheat spaghetti in this recipe, however, you can also use gluten-free spaghetti, such as this organic chickpea spaghetti.
- Olive oil - extra-virgin olive oil works best. However, to make it oil-free, substitute olive oil with vegetable broth.
- Garlic - what Italian pasta recipe would be complete without garlic? I often use artisan garlic in my recipes, such as this gorgeous purple garlic.
- Cavolo nero - in English, this refers to Tuscan Kale, or black kale, or black cabbage. If you cannot find Tuscan kale locally or online, choose a kale such as curly kale or whatever is on hand.
- Sun-dried tomatoes - these can be jarred in olive oil (you can even use the oil in the recipe) or dried. Some dried tomatoes are ready to eat, while others need to be soaked first. Please follow your package instructions. You may also use fresh grape or cherry tomatoes in this recipe.
- Vegan heavy cream - a bit difficult to find in America, depending upon where you live. I buy mine from the Netherlands, and I love it. The link is to the left.
- Vegan parmesan - you can use any kind of vegan parmesan you want, or make your own with cashews like I do. Click the link for the recipe.
- Lemon juice - fresh lemon juice is best, but you may also use bottled.
- Sea salt & black pepper - add a pinch or more, to suit your taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪How to Make Cavolo Nero Pasta
Follow the step-by-step pictorial below to get this Cavolo Nero Pasta perfect every time. Hint: I love making this pasta in my Lodge 6 Quart Dutch oven for even cooking and easy cleanup. I absolutely love it. Of course, you can also use a regular pot.
1. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Depending upon the type of noodles, this should take between 7 and 10 minutes. Drain, but don't rinse.
2. In the meantime, while spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn.
3. Add the Cavolo Nero to the skillet.
4. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until cavolo nero leaves and stalks are nice and tender.
5. Toss in sun-dried tomatoes.
6. Stir until tomatoes are well-incorporated with the other ingredients.
7. Add the vegan heavy cream. You can also substitute with Vegan Béchamel Sauce here for an extra special treat.
8. Stir well until heated through.
9. Add Vegan Parmesan.
10. Stir until cavolo nero leaves are well-coated with parmesan.
11. Add lemon juice, a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper, and cooked spaghetti.
12. Continue to cook over medium heat until all ingredients are heated thoroughly and ingredients are totally blended. Serve immediately with some garlic bread and a side salad.
TIP: the spaghetti noodles tend to absorb a lot of the sauce, so don't expect a lot of it. If you'd like your sauce thinner and your pasta creamier, add up to 3 tablespoons of water. Just be sure the spaghetti and cavolo nero are perfectly coated.
🍄 Substitutions
- Get your vegetables on - to increase the nutritional value of this recipe, add more vegetables, such as carrots, mushrooms, green peas, or fresh tomatoes.
- Increase the crunch factor - to add some crunch to the mix, toss in some raw walnuts or cashews before serving or during the cooking process. If you prefer to toast the nuts prior to adding to the pasta, do so in a small skillet with a tiny bit of olive or sesame oil.
- Make it gluten-free - use gluten-free noodles instead of regular spaghetti to make recipe gluten-free.
🌶 Variations
This dish is so versatile and here are some ideas on how to change the recipe to better suit the tastes of family or dinner guests:
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes to Cavolo Nero Pasta during the cooking process or as a finishing touch to imbue heat into the dish.
- Herby - to make cavolo nero pasta recipe more herby, try adding some of your favorite herbs, such as rosemary, sage, or basil, either as a topping or during the cooking process.
- Kid-friendly - add crushed potato chips instead of vegan Parmesan before serving as a crispy, delicious topping.
🌡️ Storage
Store leftovers in an air tight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the entire batch in a skillet over the stove, or in individual portions in the microwave on a microwave safe plate for 1-2 minutes.
Cavolo Nero Pasta is best served immediately after cooking. It doesn't fare well in the freezer, so best NOT TO FREEZE! .
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Don't overcook the noodles in this "pasta con cavolo nero" or they may turn to mush!
- If you prefer a creamier version of Cavolo Nero Pasta, make the sauce on the side and pour it over the noodles right before serving. This prevents the noodles from absorbing all the sauce. T
- If you make the sauce on the side as in the above tip, add a bit of olive oil or vegan butter to the spaghetti noodles after cooking and draining to prevent them from sticking.
For more great pasta recipes, check out these 32 Vegan Date Night Recipes.
💭 FAQ
This depends on personal preference. If you prefer only the tender leaves in your pasta, instead of the stalks that are hard and less tender, then remove the stalks and slice the leaves separately.
The best substitute for cavolo nero is regular curly kale. But you can use just about any kale available at your local supermarket and it will be delicious.
Cavolo nero is related and very similar to regular kale. However, it has much longer, darker leaves with a long central stem. They can be interchangeably in recipes as the taste and texture are similar.
🍝 More Pasta Recipes
Have you tried this? Why not leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and sign up for my newsletter!
📖 Recipe
32 Vegan Date Night Recipes: Cavolo Nero Pasta
Equipment
- Dutch oven or Instant Pot or regular pot
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz dried spaghetti
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 5 oz sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
- 1 cup non-dairy heavy cream
- ½ cup vegan parmesan
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Depending upon the type of noodles, this should take between 7 and 10 minutes. Drain, but don't rinse.
- In the meantime, while spaghetti is cooking, heat olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn.
- Add the Cavolo Nero to the skillet.
- Continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until cavolo nero leaves and stalks are wilted.
- Toss in sun-dried tomatoes.
- Stir until tomatoes are well-incorporated with the other ingredients.
- Add the vegan heavy cream.
- Stir well until heated through.
- Add Vegan Parmesan.
- Stir until cavolo nero leaves are well-coated with parmesan.
- Add lemon juice, a sprinkle of sea salt, black pepper, and cooked spaghetti.
- Continue to cook over medium heat until all ingredients are heated thoroughly and ingredients are totally blended. Serve immediately with some garlic bread and a side salad.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate.
- Don't overcook the noodles in this "pasta con cavolo nero" or they may turn to mush!
- If you prefer a creamier version of Cavolo Nero Pasta, make the sauce on the side and pour it over the noodles right before serving. This prevents the noodles from absorbing all the sauce.
- If you make the sauce on the side as in the above tip, add a bit of olive oil or vegan butter to the spaghetti noodles after cooking and draining to prevent them from sticking.
Ashley
I love a good pasta recipe! This one looks so simple and tasty, perfect for a busy weeknight meal!
Deborah
Thanks Ashley!
Amanda Mason
Made this for dinner....so good and easy to make! Fantastic recipe! I'll be making this again soon!
Deborah
Great news Amanda. Thank you. Glad you enjoyed!!
Moop brown
This recipe looks incredibly tasty and I love that it's vegan as well.
Deborah
Thank you Moop. Appreciate the comment love.
Amy Casey
I made this recipe over the weekend for a friend who is lactose intolerant. It was a hit! Thanks for post the recipe.
Deborah
That's awesome, Amy. Thank you.
Kristina
My husband and I really enjoyed this pasta dinner. I used a combination of curly kale (can't find Tuscan kale near me) and baby spinach. I can't recommend this recipe enough- it was easy and delicious!
Deborah
Thanks so much Kristina. Appreciate that you and your husband enjoyed the recipe.
Leslie
I love this pasta recipe! There's nothing quite like enjoying pasta, especially when you know it's a healthy recipe!
Deborah
Thank you Leslie.
Amanda
This pasta was divine! I love how creamy the sauce turned out, and the sun-dried tomatoes gave it the best flavor. Can't wait to make it again.
Deborah
Thank you Amanda. So glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Ann
This spaghetti dish looks divine! A nice change to the usual spaghetti recipe. Excited to give it a try!
Deborah
Thanks Ann. You’re going to love it.
LaKita
This pasta is simple to make and loaded with so many delicious ingredients, the perfect weeknight meal!
Deborah
Thanks so much LaKita. What a pretty name!!
Tracy
A delicious pasta! We loved it and can't wait to make it again!
Deborah
Oh thanks Tracy. So happy it was loved!
Andrea Howe
Our Family absolutely loved this dish! Prepared it this past weekend and it was a hit! Looking forward to the next time we get to enjoy this delicious meal together!
Deborah
Great to hear Andrea. Thank you.
Genevieve
I need to make this pasta tonight! Kale in pasta is super delicious and I love how refreshing this looks. Perfect for this unending heat wave California is experiencing.
Deborah
Thanks Genevieve. Agreed on all points!
Nancy
Delicious creamy pasta recipe. My kids really enjoyed it.
Deborah
Thank you Nancy. So happy it was kid-friendly.
Amy Liu Dong
Such an easy and delicious dish to make for my husband. I am sure he will like this!
Deborah
Thank you Amy. I know he will love it.
Brianna May
This pasta is delicious! I made it last weekend and will definitely be using this recipe again.
Deborah
So happy to hear that thanks Brianna.
Erin
I loved how easy this was! So easy and delicious. My kid even helped, which was nice. Thank you!
Deborah
So great your kid helped. Thanks Erin!
Sharon
Every bite of this pasta dish has a new level of silky flavor. The combination of ingredients makes for a delicious dinner.
Deborah
Thanks so much Sharon. I agree!
Amy Liu Dong
I have never tried to make this kind of pasta. It looks delicious and is easy to make.
Thank you for sharing!
Deborah
Thanks Amy. It’s super easy in one pot.
Tammy
I love a creamy pasta once in a while and this sure does hit the spot. Looks so hearty and delicious...might be my new weeknight go-to!
Deborah
Great idea. Thank you Tammy.
Andrea Howe
This recipe was scrumptious! My local Whole Foods had the tuscan kale so I tried it for the first time just to see if it was noticeably different, and it tastes pretty similar, so just in case anyone else can't find the Tuscan kale. I really loved the mixture of the kale and soft pasta and will be making this again. Thank you!
Deborah
Thank you for the tip Andrea. I'm sure my readers appreciate this!
Leslie
This recipe is by far, my favorite way to eat kale! haha. I love the authenticity in this recipe as well!
Jessica
Excellent! Even my kids loved it with the kale. Trying some of the variations next 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Deborah
So happy your kids loved the recipe!! Thanks so much Jessica.
Helene
Made with regular kale, I couldn’t find cavolo nero. It was perfect for a midweek dinner. Thanks for the recipe. By the way, I’m in love with your photos.
Deborah
Helene, regular kale is just fine. And thank you for the lovely compliment.
Lucy
This cavolo nero pasta dish is perfect for busy weeknights, I love that it's ready in just 20 minutes. A creamy and delicious meal the whole family enjoys.
Deborah
Thanks much Lucy.
Nancy
This is going to become one of my favorite pastas. I love all the different textures and flavors, super delish!
Deborah
Awesome news, Nancy. Thank you.
Emily
This was so flavorful and creamy, we couldn't get enough! I love the addition of kale, so good!
Deborah
Kale is the star, that's for sure. Thanks, Emily!
Debra
So delish....and easy! I doubled the kale and everyone still devoured it...tasty way to sneak that in.
Deborah
Thanks Debra, I love more kale, too!
Gloria
I love using kale in recipes. Combining it with pasta is such a great idea. Sounds like dinner tonight.
Deborah
Great idea, Gloria. Thank you.
Amy
So delicious ~ my guests didn't even know this was a vegan recipe. I loved the addition of kale in the recipe tasty and so healthy.
Deborah
So happy it worked out so well, Amy. Thanks much.
Helen at the lazy gastronome
Deliciously creamy and rich! Great pasta.
Deborah
Awesome news Helen. Thanks for the comment love!
Toni
This is so good! It quickly became a favorite meal at my house!
Deborah
Glad you made it a favorite. Thank you Toni, I’m honored!!
Amy Liu Dong
Such a good and tasty dish to make for tonight's dinner. Yum!
Deborah
Thank you Amy please be sure to let us know how your dinner turns out!
Tara
Such a wonderful pasta dish! You had me at only 8 ingredients and 20 minutes. It looks amazing with the kale.
Deborah
Thanks Tara. It is a selling point, isn’t it??
kushigalu
The perfect treat for all pasta lovers. I love the flavors in the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Deborah
You are very welcome Kushigalu!
Claudia Lamascolo
I have made this several times, easy and delicious!
Deborah
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you Claudia.
Ieva
The perfect way to use some kale from the garden! I am normally not a big fan of kale but it tasted delicious in this pasta dish!
Deborah
It’s gotta be the sauce! Thanks Leva.