We used kale in our version, but any hearty green will work just a well. Spinach will be too tender to stand up to the other ingredients, but collard greens, chard, or beet greens would work well. Mustard greens could also be a choice, but they have a spicy flavor all their own.
Looking for a pasta recipe, but not this one? How about one of these?
- Brown Butter Fettucine with Sage – Vegetarian
- Farfalle with Beets and Pine Nuts – Vegetarian
- Fettuccine with Peas and Asparagus – Vegetarian
- Pasta Carbonara
- Pasta alla Puttanesca – Dairy-free, Vegan
- Pasta alle Vongole Bianco (white clam sauce)
- Rigatoni with Spicy Sausage Red Sauce
- Rigatoni with Shrimp and Basil
- Spaghetti al Aglio, Olio, and Pepperoncini – Dairy-free, Vegan
Penne with Olives, Feta and Greens
This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit. It has a lot of strong flavors so just make sure they are all liked by your guests. Do be sure to save some pasta water as detailed below as this can dry out easily.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup parsley
- 1 t lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 greens, bunch such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe; about 1/2 pound, thick stems removed, spinach left whole, other greens cut into 1-inch strips (about 4 cups packed)
- 16 oz penne
- 6 T olive oil
- ½ C kalamata olives, coarsely chopped about 3 oz
- ½ C feta cheese about 3 oz
Instructions
- Mix parsley, lemon peel and garlic in small bowl; set aside.
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook just until tender, 1 to 6 minutes, depending on type of greens. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer greens to colander to drain. If you are using spinach, do not cook.
- Return water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.
- Return pasta to pot; add greens and 3 tablespoons oil and toss. Stir in olives, feta, and enough reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with parsley mixture and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 9gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 254mgPotassium: 184mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 531IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!