Penne with Kale and White Beans

This is seriously one of the easiest meals to make. I bought a ton of kale from the market on Sunday and was planning on turning some of it into a soup along with some white beans (a classic combination), but I didn’t really have plans for the rest of it. I hadn’t made anything for lunch yet (and yes I always make my lunch and take it to work with me because, well, don’t we all know why it’s better to do that?) and the mountain of kale in my fridge was staring at me. So that’s how I got the idea for this quick and hearty lunch.

Penne with Kale and White Beans
(serves 2)

1 ½ cups dry penne pasta
6 cups tightly packed chopped kale (cut into bite size pieces)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 small or 1 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, to taste
1 15 ounce can white (cannelini) beans, drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 ounce parmigiano reggiano cheese

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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente, drain, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Refill the pot with water, bring to a boil, and add the chopped kale. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain the kale.

After adding the kale to the pot, add 2 teaspoons of the oil to a large nonstick pan set over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the drained kale and cook for 3-4 minutes to remove any excess moisture from the kale. Add the beans and cook for another minute..

Transfer the kale and beans to the pasta and add the remaining oil, salt, and parsley. Toss well. Shave the cheese over the top and serve immediately.