Quick Spaghetti With White Beans, Asparagus And Kale Pesto

A recipe to answer the eternal question: What am I going to do with all this kale? (Warning, you will need a food processor for this.)

Photo by Deena Shanker

Recipe by Deena Shanker

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. spaghetti

kosher salt

For the pesto

4-5 cloves of garlic

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 bunch of kale, stems removed

½ cup olive oil

⅔ cup Parmesan

freshly ground pepper

For the assembly

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ pound of asparagus, ends removed and cut into 2" pieces

1 can of white beans, rinsed

PREPARATION

Prep all of your ingredients. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot and add the spaghetti. As the pasta cooks, put the garlic, lemon zest and juice, Parmesan, and a third of the oil in a food processor and blend. Add the rest of the oil bit by bit until the pesto is fully blended and smooth.

Drain the pasta once it's al dente, reserving a little pasta water. In the same pot, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the white beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the beans are warmed through. Add the spaghetti and toss with the pesto and some reserved pasta water if necessary to loosen the sauce. (There should be some pesto leftover that you can store in the fridge and enjoy with carrots tomorrow.) Serve with shaved Parmesan.

Photo by Deena Shanker