One-Pot Creamy Pasta & Greens

This dish makes creamed spinach the main event rather than a decadent side. This version is actually less indulgent as well. It incorporates milk instead of cream and uses pasta and its starch as a thickener.

The original article actually states that classic creamed spinach isn’t that good. I love creamed spinach! For years, my husband and I used to celebrate his birthday at a steakhouse- the creamed spinach saved me. (I’m not a steak fan!)

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I used loads of fresh greens from my CSA share rather than frozen chopped spinach. We ate it as a vegetarian main dish (with roasted CSA veggies on the side) but it could also be served as a hearty side, of course. Creamy and filling.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 5 cups whole milk, plus more as needed (I added an additional cup of 1% milk)
• 1 pound stemmed and sliced fresh greens (I used a combination of kale, collard and cauliflower greens) OR 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• 2 wide lemon peel strips
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• dash of red pepper flakes, optional
• 10 to 12 ounces ditalini, orzo or pearl couscous
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1. If using fresh greens, stem, slice, and wash them.
2. Place the greens in a steamer basket in a large pot (I used a pasta pot); cook until wilted, about 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Strain the steamed greens to drain as much excess liquid as possible. (I used a ricer for this task.)
4. Chop the steamed and strained greens; set aside.
5. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the 5 cups milk, chopped greens (or spinach), lemon peel, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, if using, freshly ground black pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the greens (or frozen spinach) with your spoon, until the greens have softened and the milk is just simmering, 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Add the pasta and cook, stirring often and vigorously, until the pasta is al dente, 20 to 25 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. If it looks dry at any point, add more milk. (I ultimately added an additional cup of milk.) The mixture will continue to thicken as it sits, so it’s okay if the sauce looks a little soupy.
8. Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat, discard the lemon peels, and stir in the Parmesan until melted.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with more Parmesan.

Roasted Lemon Chicken over Garlicky Greens & Rice with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

This full-flavored weeknight dish was healthy and delicious. The yogurt sauce was an essential element for my family. Any combination of greens could be used in this dish- I used the ingredients that had just arrived in my CSA box. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I incorporated sautéed collard greens, bok choy, and leeks. I served the chicken and greens over brown Basmati rice drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. Great.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chicken:

• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 7 thighs)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely grated, minced or passed through a press
• 1 T finely chopped fresh thyme and/or oregano leaves (I used 1/2 T each) (can substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano)
• large pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut lengthwise into 8 thin wedges

For the Garlicky Greens:

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch of collard greens, ribs removed, halved lengthwise
• 2 baby bok choy
• 1-2 leeks (I used 1 1/2 large leeks), sliced into 1/4-inch half moons and soaked
• 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• large pinch of red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 T sherry vinegar

For the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:

• 1/2 cup plain Greek or other strained, thick yogurt (or substitute labneh or sour cream) (I used 2% Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated seedless cucumber, such as Persian or hothouse cucumbers
• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated, minced or passed through a press

To Serve:

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, parsley, and/or cilantro, for garnish
• brown Basmati rice, for serving
• warm flatbread, such as naan, for serving, optional

To Prep & Roast the Chicken:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with the salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine 4 of the grated garlic cloves, thyme and/or oregano, red-pepper flakes, and olive oil.
4. Add chicken and lemon wedges, and toss until well coated. (If you want to work ahead, you can refrigerate the chicken for up to 12 hours before roasting.) (I marinated the chicken in the refrigerator for 6 hours prior to cooking.)
5. To Prep the Greens: Cut the ribbed collards into 1/4-inch ribbons. Slice ribbons in half; set aside. Cut the leafy portion of the bok choy into 1/2-inch ribbons. Rinse and dry the collards and leafy bok choy. Cut the bok choy stems into 1/8-inch pieces, cutting larger pieces in half to make relatively equal-sized pieces. Soak separately from the leafy greens to clean; rinse, dry, and set aside.
6. Arrange chicken and lemons on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed sheet pan in a single layer.
7. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes in a convection oven, or up to 27 to 35 minutes in a standard oven. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
8. After placing the chicken in the oven, cook the rice, the greens, and make the sauce. (see below)

To Cook the Garlicky Greens:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high. Add the soaked and strained leeks, sliced garlic, and chopped bok choy stems. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the washed leafy greens, 1 to 2 handfuls at a time, and stir until wilted. Continue until all of the greens have been added to the pan. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Season with the sherry vinegar as well as salt and pepper, to taste.

To Make the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:

1. Stir together yogurt, grated cucumber and clove of minced garlic in a small bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Serve:

1. Layer the sautéed greens over the rice on a platter or other serving dish.
2. Top with the roasted chicken. Squeeze roasted lemon wedges all over chicken, and sprinkle with mint/parsley/cilantro and more red-pepper flakes, if desired.
3. Drizzle some of the accumulated pan juices over the top of everything.
4. Serve chicken accompanied by cucumber-yogurt sauce and warm flatbread.

Sautéed Greens with Corn, Bacon & Scallions

I have a couple dishes to share that are absolutely loaded with greens. This colorful dish could be served as a main but we ate it as a hearty side with grilled mustard chicken thighs and roasted potatoes. I drizzled the potatoes with residual bacon fat (from this dish) prior to roasting- great.

This recipe was adapted from The Mom 100 Cookbook by Katie Workman, via The New York Times, contributed by Julia Moskin. I modified the method and incorporated my CSA beet greens, kale, and collard greens. The original recipe notes that carrots or summer squash can be substituted for the peppers and corn. Easy and delicious.

Yield: Serves 6 as a side

• 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 shallot or small onion, minced
• 3 cups corn kernels, from about 4 ears corn (or a combination of corn and diced summer squash)(thawed frozen corn okay)
• 1/2 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper (or carrot)
•  pinch red pepper flakes
•  coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
• 6 to 8 cups de-stemmed greens, like chard or kale, cut into 1/4-inch ribbons (or whole baby spinach, or another tender green)(I used a combination of beet greens, kale, & collard greens)

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.) Transfer to paper towels to drain; pour off all but a teaspoon of fat from the skillet. (Reserve the bacon fat for another use- such as roasting potatoes!)
2. Add butter and melt.
3. Add shallot (and carrot, if using) and adjust heat; vegetables should sizzle, but not scorch. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.
4. Add greens and cook for about 4 minutes, until beginning to wilt.
5. Add corn (and/or squash), peppers, and pepper flakes and let sizzle, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Crumble bacon and add to skillet with scallions. Cook together 1 minute and serve hot.

Sausage, Beans & Greens Pasta

This is a great end of summer ~ early fall dish. I loved that it gobbled up my CSA collards and chard. I really love any dish that transforms greens into a crowd-pleaser! 🙂 The mashed beans made the sauce creamy.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Claire Saffitz, via epicurious.com. I used garbanzo beans and a mix of collard greens, Swiss chard, and spinach. I also substituted sweet Italian sausage and modified the proportions. The fried rosemary garnish was essential.

Yield: Serves 6

• 1/3 cup (5 T) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 8 to 10 oz sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (I used 3 sweet sausages)
• 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas or cannellini beans, rinsed, patted dry
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 16 oz (1 pound) paccheri, rigatoni, or other large tubular pasta (I used pennoni pasta)
• Kosher salt
• 8 to 10 cups (lightly packed) cut or torn escarole, kale, or Swiss chard leaves (I used 1/4-inch ribbons stemmed and halved collard greens, 1/2-inch ribbons stemmed Swiss chard (stems cut into 1/4-inch pieces and reserved), & baby spinach)
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T unsalted butter

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium to medium-high. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Fry rosemary, turning, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
3. Add sausage to same pot and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a shallow bowl.
4. Add chickpeas to pot and cook, tossing occasionally and mashing some chickpeas with a spoon, until browned in spots, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer about half of chickpeas to plate with sausage.
5. Add wine to pot (and add the Swiss chard stems, if using), bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.
7. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with chickpeas and add the greens and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Cook, tossing often, until the greens are wilted, pasta is al dente, and sauce is thickened, about 4 minutes.
8. Add another 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, then gradually add 1/2 cup cheese, tossing until melted and dissolved into a luxurious, glossy sauce.
9. Thin with more pasta cooking liquid if needed. Season with pepper, and more salt if needed. Add butter and toss to combine, then mix in reserved sausage and chickpeas.
10. Divide pasta among bowls or place in a large serving dish. Crumble fried rosemary over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Ethiopian Chickpea Stew (Shiro Wat) & Stewed Collard Greens (Gomen Wat)

My sister introduced me to Ethiopian food many moons ago. Ever since, we have really enjoyed eating at Ethiopian restaurants but I have never prepared any dishes at home. After receiving collard greens and parsley in my CSA share, this seemed like a fitting menu to try. It could be served any time of year. For us, it was a perfect meal to serve on a rainy and cool June evening.

I loved the brightness that the grated ginger, lemon, and chopped fresh chile added to the tender, stewed collard greens after cooking. The chickpea stew recipe utilizes the genius technique of incorporating ground red lentils to thicken the base.

The recipes were adapted from 177milkstreet.com. I changed the proportions and decreased the heat intensity. I served it over rice with dollops of whole milk Greek yogurt to offset the spice. I also omitted the fresh chile garnish in the chickpea stew. In a restaurant, these dishes would be served with injera, Ethiopian flatbread.

Yield: Serves 4

For the Stewed Collard Greens (Gomen Wat):

• 1 1/2 T ghee
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 T minced fresh ginger, divided
• scant 1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 pound stemmed collard greens, cut into 1/2-inch ribbons and roughly chopped
• 3/4 to 1 cup chicken, vegetable or beef stock, divided
• 1/2 to 1 Fresno or serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the Berbere Spice Blend: (you will have a little extra)

• 1 T smoked sweet paprika
• 1 1 /2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• scant 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• heaping 1/4 tsp freshly ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp dried basil, ground or crushed into a powder
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin

For the Chickpea Stew (Shiro Wat):

• 2 T red lentils
• 3 T ghee
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cups (1 pint) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 to 10 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T minced or grated fresh ginger
• 2 T Berbere Spice Blend (above)
• 2 15.5-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 jalapeño or Fresno chile, stemmed and chopped, optional (I omitted it)
• cooked rice, for serving, optional (I served both dishes over white Basmati rice)
• whole milk Greek yogurt, for serving, optional
• injera (flatbread), for serving, optional

To Make the Stewed Collard Greens:

1. In a large pot over medium, melt the ghee. (I used an enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. 
3. Stir in the garlic, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, the cardamom and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
4. Add about half of the collards and cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, then add the remaining collards.
5. Stir the stock and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the collards are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. (I cooked it for 30 minutes.)
6. Off heat, stir in the chopped chile, lemon juice and remaining 1/2 tablespoon ginger.
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a serving dish.

To Make the Spice Blend:

1. In a small bowl or jar, stir or shake together all ingredients until combined. The berbere will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot for up to 2 months. (I used a recycled glass spice jar.)

To Make the Chickpea Stew:

1. In a spice grinder, pulse the lentils until finely ground, about 10 pulses; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium, melt the ghee. (I used a low and wide enameled cast iron pot.)
3. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and berbere. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have given up their liquid and the mixture is beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Add the chickpeas, ground lentils, 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium and cook at a simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until the sauce clings to the chickpeas and the desired thickness and consistency is achieved, about 15 to 20 minutes. (If serving over rice, cook the rice at this time.)
6. Off heat, stir in the parsley and chili (if using).
7. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve the stewed collard greens and chickpea stew with injera or over rice topped with a dollop of yogurt, as desired.

Baked Rigatoni with Cheddar & Broccoli Rabe

I love a cheesy baked pasta loaded with greens. 🙂 This one was bursting with broccoli rabe (of which I am a huge fan) but it could have easily incorporated broccoli, baby broccolini, or other greens such as collards, spinach, and/or kale instead. We ate it with garlic bread and green salad. Great.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Alison Roman. I was a little bit concerned about the spice level after adding an entire teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, but the finished result was perfect. I baked the casserole in a Dutch oven and the cheesy bread crumb topping formed an incredible crispy crust over the entire top. I may consider adding garlic next time, but it was amazing without it!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 1 lb rigatoni, ziti, or fusilli
• 8 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
• minced garlic, optional
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 2 bunches broccoli rabe or 3 bunches baby broccolini, trimmed, coarsely chopped (I cut the stems into 2-inch pieces and the leaves into 3-inch pieces)(see alternate green vegetable alternatives above)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 12 oz sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated (about 3 cups), divided (I used 10 oz extra-sharp white cheddar and 2 oz white Beecher’s Flagship Handmade Cheese)
• 1 bunch chives, chopped, divided (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs or panko (I used a blend of the two)

1. Preheat oven to 425°, preferably on convection.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking together, until just barely al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat 5 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
4. Add leeks and season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened (but not so much that they don’t have any texture left) and starting to brown, 5–10 minutes.
5. Add red pepper flakes and garlic, if using, to leeks and stir to incorporate.
6. Add broccoli rabe by the handful, stirring to combine and allowing each addition to wilt before adding more.
7. Season with salt and black pepper.
8. Once all of the broccoli rabe has been added, cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside.
9. Add pasta to reserved broccoli rabe mixture along with cream, three-quarters of the cheese, 2/3 of the chopped chives, and reserved pasta cooking liquid; mix well. Season with salt and black pepper and add more red pepper flakes if you prefer more heat (keep in mind that the saltiness and spiciness will increase as the pasta bakes).(I didn’t add any additional heat.)
10. Transfer pasta to a 3-qt. baking dish (or, if your Dutch oven is ovenproof, just leave it in there). (I scraped down the sides of my Dutch oven and kept the mixture in it to bake- less dishes!)
11. Toss breadcrumbs and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium bowl until coated; season with salt and black pepper.
12. Scatter breadcrumbs over pasta, then sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese.
13. Bake until pasta is bubbling across the entire surface and breadcrumbs are deep golden brown, 22 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly.
14. Scatter remaining chives over pasta just before serving.