Red Wine Spaghetti with Chorizo and Kale
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My red wine spaghetti is rich, smoky, and deep mahogany from cooking the pasta right in the wine. Chorizo and caramelized tomato paste turn it into a real dinner, and it’s on the table in 20 minutes.
Most versions of this dish, known in Italy as drunken spaghetti or spaghetti all’ubriaco, are beautiful but barely a meal. Wine-stained noodles, olive oil, garlic, a shower of cheese. I wanted one that could be dinner.
Here’s what I learned in recipe testing. Red wine cooked down on its own turns sharp and a little tannic, which is why so many recipes finish with a lot of butter to smooth it out. This one fixes it earlier. The chorizo renders its paprika-red fat into the pan, the tomato paste caramelizes in that fat until it’s sweet and concentrated, and the wine lands on a savory base instead of a bare pan. You get a sauce that clings, a deep smoky flavor, and kale for something fresh and green against all that richness. If you like this one, my spicy chorizo bolognese works on the same idea.
The pasta cooks from raw right in the wine, which means this red wine spaghetti is a one-pot dinner. No par-boiling, no ladling wine in like risotto.
Best wine for red wine spaghetti
The noodles absorb the wine, so its flavor comes through clearly in the finished dish. That means two things. Use a dry red you’d actually drink, and don’t reach for your good bottle, because simmering flattens the nuance you paid for. A mid-range bottle you like is exactly right.
- Chianti: the traditional choice, and my favorite here. Moderate acidity and a medium body that sits well with the tomato paste.
- Merlot: soft and round, so the wine flavor stays in the background.
- Cabernet Sauvignon: bolder and more tannic, which gives you the deepest color and the most assertive wine flavor.
Skip anything sweet or off-dry, and skip cooking wine, which is salted and will throw the seasoning off.
What to serve with red wine spaghetti
This is a rich, savory plate, so what it wants alongside is something crisp and sharp. A Brussels sprouts Caesar salad is my go-to. The tangy dressing and shaved parmesan cut straight through the wine and chorizo, and the shredded sprouts keep their crunch next to the soft pasta.
Crusty bread or garlic toast is not optional in my house. There’s sauce left on the plate every time, and you want something to drag through it.
And pour a glass of what you cooked with. The whole bottle goes into the pot, so open a second one for the table.
Red Wine Spaghetti with Chorizo and Kale
Ingredients
- 750 ml bottle dry red wine
- 2 cups water
- 10 ounces spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 5 ounce chorizo sausage (chopped)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 10 stalks kale (removed from stem and chopped – about 2 cups total)
- ½ cup Parmesan (plus extra for serving)
- sea salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Place the wine and 2 cups of water in a large pot over high heat. When it boils, add the spaghetti and stir it frequently for the first couple of minutes to prevent it from sticking together in the small amount of liquid. Cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes total. Remove 1 cup of the pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta and set it aside.750 ml bottle dry red wine, 10 ounces spaghetti, 2 cups water
- While the pasta water is heating and the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the chorizo to the pan and saute for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Add the tomato paste and let it caramelize for 2 minutes. Add the kale and sea salt and let the kale wilt for 1 minute.4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 5 ounce chorizo sausage, ¼ cup tomato paste, 10 stalks kale, sea salt
- Add the cooked pasta and the parmesan to the pan and toss to coat. Add enough of the reserved pasta water to loosen the pasta.½ cup Parmesan
- Serve topped with extra parmesan cheese and some fresh cracked black pepper. And a big glass of red wine, of course!
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
This looks wonderful and will give it a try. Do you remove the raw chorizo from its casing or chop it into slices?
Thank you for this recipe
You can do either. If it’s quite soft (like Italian sausage) I would remove it from it’s casing anc cook it like ground meat. If it’s more firm, you can chop it into smaller pieces.
I’ve made this multiple times and it’s always a hit! Such different flavors that makes a unique and delicious meal.
Great recipe!!
I usually buy organic pre-chopped kale by the bag (we use it in salads and smoothies). Do you have an idea how much of the pre-chopped kale would equal 10 stalks of chopped? I know one “bunch” of kale is usually around 4 cups of chopped. Thanks
I would think about 2 packed cups.
Great inviting photos ! Thank you so much !
Thank you!
Hi Kristen, what a delicious pasta dish, I make a lot of pasta meals but never one with red wine. This truly looks spectacular, love your site, your pics are gorgeous!
Thank you so much, Cheri!!