This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

ADVERTISEMENT

This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Parmesan and Pancetta Pasta with Kale

4 to 6 Servings

40 minutes

Made This Recipe? Write a Review.
Thank you for submitting your review! A member of our team is confirming the review meets our site's Community Guidelines. It will be posted on the site shortly.

This quick, one-pot pasta dinner hits a wide spectrum of flavors: it’s savory with crisp bits of pancetta, umami-rich with Parmesan, green and minerally with kale, spicy with pepper flakes and bright with a last-minute addition of lemon juice. We use sturdy lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) and add it to the pasta midway through boiling. Some of the starchy, flavorful cooking water is reserved before draining and added back to the pasta-kale mixture, creating a light, sauce that ties the ingredients together without weighing them down.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t discard any of the rendered pancetta fat after transferring the bits to a paper towel-lined plate. The fat adds richness to the dish; without it, the flavor falls flat.

40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1

    pound gemelli or fusilli pasta

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Reviews
Kristine L.
March 17, 2025
Fantastic Meal
This was terrific. I made my own fettucine for it and that doesn't take as long to cook, so I put the kale in the water first and then added the pasta for the final four minutes of cooking. I also did everything else in a separate pan then added the pasta and kale to that pan after it was done cooking. We'll definitely be making this again.
Ashley L.
May 31, 2024
Quick
Great fast weeknight dinner with limited dishes (extra plus ;o) )
Kathie B.
February 12, 2024
Easy and delicious!
Quick, easy and super flavorful!! Will be making this one again!
Craig B.
June 11, 2025
Very good
Will be making this one again. had a Carbonara type consistency without the eggs of course. Enjoyed it very much
Cathy R.
January 8, 2024
Quick, easy and fast.
Fast weekday meal with things available in the house. Used pasta shells. I did not remove the garlic at the end and it was fine.

ADVERTISEMENT