From above, evenly coated cream-coloured pasta ribbons are seen, speckled with vibrant green pieces of crispy kale and crispy reddish-brown bacon crumble. The pasta is placed into a deep white pasta bowl with an aesthetic scattering of fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra olive oil on top.

Creamy Potato Pasta with Crispy Kale and Bacon

Name: Creamy Potato Pasta with Crispy Kale and Bacon
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: large potatoes, 2 boiled and cut into chunks; kale, 2 handfuls washed, torn into bite-size pieces; bacon slices, 6 chopped; garlic cloves, 2 minced; cream cheese, 1/2 cup None; milk, 1 cup None; thick pasta of choice, 200g None; salt, to taste None; black pepper, to taste None; olive oil, 2 tablespoons None

Category Main Course

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 20 minutes

Style American

Technique Baking

Diet Friendly High-Protein

Daily Recipe: September 01, 2024

Introducing our wholesome and hearty pasta dish, with the earthy starchiness of potato combined seamlessly with velvety cream cheese and leafy kale. A gustatory nod to America's farming roots, it utilizes seasonally available ingredients and tastes absolutely divine. We toss the pasta in a luscious cream cheese and potato puree, strewn with crispy kale chips and bacon bits.

Ingredients (for 2)

Large potatoes - 2 - boiled and cut into chunks
Kale - 2 handfuls - washed, torn into bite-size pieces
Bacon slices - 6 - chopped
Garlic cloves - 2 - minced
Cream cheese - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Thick pasta of choice - 200g
Salt - to taste
Black pepper - to taste
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons

Preparation

Step 1 - 🔥🌡️📛

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for making the kale chips.
Step 2 - 🥬💦🖐️🧂🌶️🍳⏲️

Toss the kale in a tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.
Step 3 - 🥓🔥🍳🧻

Fry the bacon bits in a pan until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
Step 4 - 🍳🧄👃

In the same pan, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Step 5 - 🥔🧈🍼🥣🔄

Blend the boiled potatoes, cream cheese and milk together to form a smooth puree.
Step 6 - 🍝🔥🔁💧

Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve some pasta water.
Step 7 - 🥔🧈🍳👈🍝🔄💦

Pour the blended potato-cream cheese sauce into the pan with the garlic, stirring gently over a low heat. If the sauce is too thick, thin it down with some pasta water. Drain the pasta and toss it into the sauce until it's well coated.
Step 8 - 🍝🥄🥬🥓🔥

Spoon the pasta onto plates. Garnish with the crispy kale and bacon bits. Serve hot.

Additional

For a vegetarian version, you can easily omit the bacon and add sun-dried tomatoes. To make it even healthier, substitute regular pasta with whole grain pasta. The kids can have fun tearing the kale into bits and helping with blending the potato and cream cheese.