Garlic Kale Meatball Bucatini

Recipes by Ariana

An Alfredo-based pasta loaded with hearty kale, meatballs, and garlic. The perfect comfort food for the winter season.

This is another one of those dishes that I whipped up using what I had on hand and it was amazing, if I do say so myself. Typically, I’m not a huge fan of Alfredo pasta because it’s often so overwhelmingly heavy that you feel like you need to take a nap after eating it. While there is Alfredo in this pasta, the sauce is really there just to tie the whole dish together while giving it a slight creaminess.

With kale in season right now, I like to stock up on my favorite kind — Tuscan kale. I find this variety a lot heartier than curly kale, and I particularly like how much better it holds up to the cooking process than many of the other varieties. Pair it with some meatballs and carbs, and you have yourself a comforting, umami dish that can help you stay cozy this winter season. Like most pasta dishes, this comes together super quickly, so it makes for a great weeknight dinner. Let’s get to it!

Garlicky Kale Meatball Bucatini

An Alfredo-based pasta loaded with hearty kale, meatballs, and garlic. The perfect comfort food for this winter season.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound bucatini
  • 1 pound cooked meatballs
  • 3 bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed and chopped
  • 1 jar Rao's Alfredo sauce
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  • 12 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Splash of rice vinegar (use a different acid if you don't have rice vinegar — white wine, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and champagne vinegar are great substitutes)

Instructions
 

  • Step 1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente (about 9 minutes).
  • Step 2. While the pasta is cooking, heat up the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté shallot and chili flakes until the shallot is translucent. Toss in the garlic and sauté for another minute.
  • Step 3. Add the kale and sauté until it has reduced to ⅓ of the starting volume. Add a splash of rice vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Salt and pepper.
  • Step 4. Add in the meatballs and the Alfredo sauce. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Cover the pot with a lid for 1 minute to warm up the sauce and meatballs.
  • Step 5. Toss in the bucatini with ½ cup of pasta water. Mix and serve immediately.

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