Ground Beef and Kale Penne

A comforting and flavorful pasta dish featuring lean ground beef, tender penne, and healthy kale in a rich tomato sauce, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

• Prep: 12 min
• Cook: 18 min
• Total: 30 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Italian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.75/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• quick
• comfort food
• savory
• sauté
• boil

Ingredients

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1.25 pound ground beef (93/7 lean)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 28 ounce crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 ounce kale (tough stems removed, roughly chopped)
• 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese (grated)

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat, then transfer the cooked ground beef to a separate bowl.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced yellow onion to the same skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the roughly chopped kale to the simmering sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes, or until the kale has wilted and is tender. Stir the cooked ground beef back into the sauce.
6. Add the drained penne pasta to the skillet with the sauce and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with optional grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 608
• Protein: 35.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 76 g
• Fat: 17.8 g
• Fiber: 7 g
• Sodium: 660 mg
• Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 75 mg