Garlicky Kale Pasta with Peas and Toasted Almonds

Name: Garlicky Kale Pasta with Peas and Toasted Almonds
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pound gluten-free pasta; ½ cup almonds, sliced; ¾ cup olive oil; 3 tablespoons minced garlic (pre-minced or 6 cloves, minced); 2 cups kale, leaves torn from stems; 1 cup peas (frozen, organic); 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ⅓ cup (plus more for serving) vegan parmesan cheese; 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds or raw sunflower seeds; ¼ cup nutritional yeast; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon salt

Published byGina Fontana onMay 19, 2017January 28, 2025 Updated onJanuary 28, 2025

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If you’re looking for a delicious, quick and easy, nutritious meal with great leftover potential, this Garlicky Kale Pasta with Peas and Toasted Almonds is where it’s at! You’ll be amazed at how fast this healthy dinner comes together and how much you’re going to be wanting more of this pasta. Can I get a kale yeah?!

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a bowl of garlicky kale pasta with a fork in the bowl and a linen napkin beside it

Table of Contents

If you’re a garlic lover like me, you are going to be swooning over this healthy dinner recipe. I saw the Kale Pasta Salad from The Pioneer Woman and I wanted to put my own spin on it. In this flavorful pasta dish, I’m replacing traditional pasta sauce with a garlicky olive oil and it is divine! Toss the pasta with peas, kale, salt, pepper, and toasted almonds and that’s it! This pasta dish comes together so fast I think it’s going to be a staple on your weekly menu.

a close up of a bowl of garlicky kale pasta with a fork in the bowl and a linen napkin beside it

The Ingredients

Gluten-Free Pasta. You can use whatever gluten-free pasta you’d like. I really like brown rice pasta in this dish, but if you’re looking to up the protein a bit you can use a chickpea or quinoa pasta!

Garlic. A garlic lover’s dream! I buy pre-minced organic garlic because it cuts down on time and work for this dinner recipe, but you can certainly use fresh garlic cloves. I use 3 tablespoons of pre-minced garlic in this recipe, so that probably is equivalent to 6-8 cloves minced.

Olive Oil. I use 3/4 cup of organic olive oil in this recipe, and let the garlic infuse it with it’s deliciousness. Then you toss in the salt and pepper and the pasta to coat it. Using olive oil is a healthier option than butter too 🙂

3/4 close up shot of a bowl of garlicky kale pasta with a fork in the bowl and a linen napkin beside it

Peas. To also cut down on time and work, I place the peas in a glass measuring cup (you can use a bowl) and cover them with water. Microwave them for 2 minutes, drain and done! Toss them into the pasta and easy PEASy 😉

Almonds. You can use whole or sliced, I prefer sliced almonds and you can buy them already sliced at the store! If you don’t buy pre-roasted almonds, simply place the raw almonds in a dry skillet (not greased or oiled) and heat them over medium heat until they start to turn golden, tossing them frequently to avoid burning.

Vegan Parmesan Cheese. I always have some of my Vegan Parmesan Cheese stocked in my fridge… we use it on everything! It’s so good and perfect for this pasta recipe. You’ll need to blend together sunflower, pumpkin seeds or cashews with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt until you have a very fine, parmesan cheese-like texture. If you don’t have this done already, make sure to do this first 😉

Salt & Pepper. To taste.

a close up of a bowl of garlicky kale pasta with a fork in the bowl and a linen napkin beside it with some on the fork

How To Make This Garlicky Kale Pasta

This pasta dish is so easy to make. It’s almost like buttered noodles (where my buttered noodles fans at?!) but infused with garlic and made with olive oil instead of butter.

If you’re using my homemade Vegan Parmesan in this recipe, quickly make that first. In your food processor/blender, blend all of the vegan parmesan cheese ingredients until you have a fine, parmesan cheese-like texture. Set aside.

Next make the roasted/toasted almonds. In a small skillet, toast the almonds over medium-low heat. Toss frequently to keep them from burning. Toast until golden brown and set aside in a bowl or dish.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. About half way through cooking the noodles, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-low heat in a large skillet until the garlic starts to turn brown and becomes very fragrant. Stir occasionally to keep from burning. Add salt + pepper to oil mixture, then add the pasta and toss to combine.

a close up of some garlicky kale pasta on the fork with the bowl out of focus in the background

Microwave the peas covered with water in a bowl for 2 minutes, then add to the pasta mixture and toss.

Add the kale leaves and incorporate them well, allowing the pasta to simmer for about 5 minutes, until the kale starts to soften. Finally, sprinkle with the vegan parmesan cheese and toasted almonds, stir and serve! You can garnish with more vegan parmesan cheese if desired.

I am so in love with this Pioneer Woman-inspired pasta recipe made gluten-free and vegan and I hope you love this 30 minute meal too! Be sure to leave a comment below down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating so that others can discover this Garlicky Kale Pasta with Peas and Toasted Almonds recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

If you like this recipe, you might want to also try my very popular BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPINACH PASTA!

Garlicky Kale Pasta with Peas and Toasted Almonds

The Ingredients

How To Make This Garlicky Kale Pasta