Creamy Kale and Mushroom Pasta Recipe
This creamy kale and mushroom pasta is a single-skillet, rich, and creamy pasta you can have ready in 30 minutes.
It’s great for a quick weeknight dinner, and at the same time, perfect for lunch the next day.
How Many Calories Are In Creamy Mushroom And Kale Pasta?
At first glance, it looks like this recipe is loaded with fattening cream or cheese. But it’s not! The delicious sauce is made with plain yogurt, which helps keeps the calories down.
For this particular recipe, a quarter of the entire thing is just 275 calories! That’s a healthy helping! Of course, this data could change slightly depending on the pasta you use. But at least you have a ballpark idea.
How To Make A Healthier Mushroom Pasta Sauce
What makes this a healthier dish?
Instead of using fat-laden cream cheese, sour cream, or even cheese, I used plain yogurt. It may not sound like much at first, but once you get it seasoned to your liking, it’s pretty good stuff!
And let’s not forget the kale. Kale is a superfood filled with lots of good-for-you nutrition. In fact, each ingredient in this dish has a nutritional benefit of some kind. So eat up!
What Pasta Works Best?
You can use any type of pasta for this recipe, but I recommend using short pasta like fusilli, penne, or rotini to help catch the creamy sauce and veggies.
Serving Suggestions
This would pair well with a side of protein, such as chicken, turkey, or fish.
It will also go well with a green salad, a bowl of soup, or some crusty garlic bread.
Dietary Concerns
Vegan – This can be made vegan by using vegan yogurt and vegetable broth.
Dairy-Free – Make it dairy free by using dairy-free yogurt.
Sugar Free – This recipe has no added sugar.
Keto – Opt for sour cream instead of yogurt, and mix in cauliflower rice instead of pasta.
Gluten-Free – Use gluten-free pasta and ensure that all the other individual, packaged ingredients are purchased with a gluten-free label.
Recipe Additions
- Many of you will enjoy adding some parmesan to this.
- Feel free to add more of any veggies if you wish. Just cut them small for easier eating.
- You can add some shallots, either in place of or in addition to the onions.
- Garnish with a bit of fresh thyme and maybe some walnuts if you don’t mind the extra calories. Pine nuts work too.
About The Ingredients
Pasta – See suggestions above.
Oil – Any oil will do, but keep in mind the smoke point. Something like avocado oil or coconut oil will have a higher smoke point for sautéing. Olive oil is not recommended as it has a very low smoke point.
Red onion – Any color onion will work, but red onion offers a sweetness that others do not.
Garlic – I find you get the most flavor from fresh garlic when it’s pressed. But if you don’t have a garlic press, mincing it is the next best thing.
Mushrooms – Sliced somewhat thin.
Chicken broth – No sugar or dextrose added. Vegetable broth will work too.
Yogurt – I used almond milk yogurt to make this. But dairy yogurt works too. You can use Greek yogurt if you wish.
Balsamic vinegar – The better the quality, the better the flavor. Use the best you can.
Soy sauce – Or coconut aminos. This simply gives the dish some umami.
Nutritional yeast – If you don’t have any, the next best option is to replace it with as much grated parmesan as you like.
Lacinato kale – Also known as Dino Kale. You can use regular kale, but the texture is a lot tougher.
Salt and pepper – I give measurements, but please add these to taste.
Red pepper flakes – This is optional. I give a measurement, but you can add as little or as much as you like.
How To Make Creamy Kale and Mushroom Pasta
Cook your pasta to the package directions in well-salted water.
Chop, slice, and press or mince all the vegetables as indicated.
Heat the oil in a large pan.
Sauté the onions until they become translucent.
Then add the mushrooms and cook them until they wilt.
Add the kale, and finally the garlic. Cook this with the garlic for a full 1 to 2 minutes before proceeding. Make sure the garlic is stirred in evenly.
Add the broth.
Add the yogurt.
Add the vinegar, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and all remaining seasoning. The crushed pepper flakes are optional. You can add as much or as little as you like, or leave them out completely if you don’t care for the heat they provide.
Once the sauce is well combined and cooked, stir in the pasta.
Stir well to coat the pasta in the sauce, adjust any seasonings you wish, and serve.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days (if you used chicken broth) or up to 5 days (if you used vegetable broth).
Freezing
Freezing is not recommended for this recipe.
Reheating Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta
This reheats quite well in a microwave.
You can also reheat in a pot on the stovetop, but you may have to add a little extra chicken broth to keep the sauce in good condition.
Recipe Supplies
More Healthy Pasta Recipes
- Cavatappi Pasta
- Breakfast Pasta
- Baby Kale Pasta (With Bacon)
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Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Pasta Recipe Card
Creamy Kale and Mushroom Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large, cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz. package of pasta
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 6 large garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
- 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
- 3 cups thinly sliced kale
- 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 cups plain yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional and adjustable to your liking)
Instructions
- Cook your pasta to package directions in well-salted water.
- Chop, slice, and press or mince all the vegetables as indicated.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Sauté the onions until they become translucent.
- Then add the mushrooms and cook them until they wilt.
- Add the kale.
- And finally the garlic. Cook this with the garlic for a full 1 to 2 minutes before proceeding. Make sure the garlic is stirred in evenly.
- Add the broth.
- Add the yogurt.
- Add the vinegar and soy sauce.
- Add the nutritional yeast and all remaining seasoning.
- Crushed pepper flakes are optional. You can add as much or as little as you like, or leave them out completely if you don't care for the heat they provide.
- Once the sauce is well combined and cooked, stir in the pasta.
- Stir well to coat the pasta in the sauce, adjust any seasonings you wish, and serve.