Garlicky Kale Meatball Bucatini
An Alfredo-based pasta loaded with hearty kale, meatballs, and garlic. The perfect comfort food for this winter season.
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.