Kale Pesto is an unlikely deliciousness and it came about as many good ideas do – at Farmer’s Market! It finally occurred to me that kale could be used for something other than Green Smoothies. I asked one of my favorite farmers how she prepares it, and she said she makes pesto with it. Now that’s an idea I probably wouldn’t have ever had on my own!
I tossed my pesto with Zucchini Noodles, but it’s good stirred into eggs as well.
I use 1/4 cup of parmesan for the pesto and the rest to sprinkle over the vegetable noodles.
I never learn… someday, I will toast my pine nuts over low heat. I get impatient and turn it to medium and one side gets extra toasty while the other side remains blond. Low and slow is the way to go, pine nuts are too pricey to burn.
I prefer the darker kales for pesto because I find that the lighter ones have more of a grassy flavor.
When blending the pesto be really patient – it takes a few minutes for the pesto to blend. You will need keep pushing the kale down little by little, until it comes together. This can also be made in a food processor but it will be chunkier.
If you’re craving something warmer, you can toss the pesto with steamed zucchini noodles or spoon it over Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Note: This does taste like kale – but kale can be so delicious. If you really don’t like the taste of kale, try this out with something different like spinach!
Print
Kale Pesto with Vegetable Noodles
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 2 1/4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup parmesan, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Teaspoons sea salt
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 bunch of kale, 12 ounces
- 1 1/2 cups basil, packed
- For Serving:
- Vegetable Noodles
- Grated Parmesan
- Toasted Pine Nuts
Instructions
- Place the ingredients in the order listed into the blender. Blend on low, pushing the kale down little by little. Increase the speed when necessary until pesto is mostly smooth. I used speeds 3-5 on my Vita-mix. If you’re using a food processor you’ll need to chop the kale before starting.
- Serve immediately with vegetable noodles and toppings. If you’re keeping it for a day or two, cover the surface with plastic wrap or a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from turning brown.
Notes
This recipe gives you 195% of Vitamin A and 184% of Vitamin C daily needs
- Prep Time: 10 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 245
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3.8g
- Protein: 7g