When it comes to classic Italian foods like pizza and pasta, I’ll use pesto over tomato-based sauces any day. It’s just so much flavorful, nuttier, saucier, and way less acidic. And while you can find some really great store-bought pestos, none of them hold a candle to a fresh, homemade batch.
Classic pesto is super easy to make. It’s simply a blend of fresh basil, garlic, hard cheese like Parmesan or Pecorino, lemon juice, pine nuts, and olive oil. This blend results in an incredible sauce you can use on your pizzas, pastas, salads, you name it. If you’re a pesto girl like me, buy a big basil plant to keep in your kitchen or herb garden, and your heart will be full for all your days.
However, one of the things I love most about homemade pesto is how adaptable it is. Don’t have any pine nuts? Substitute with almonds. Your basil plant’s seen better days? Use a different kind of fresh green. And that adaptability brings me to this recipe—kale pesto.
tell me more, tell me more
Kale pesto has all the original elements of the beloved Italian sauce, substituting only one thing: the basil. What I love about this recipe the most is that it gives us a sly way to incorporate healthy, nutrient-dense greens into our favorite carby delights.
Although I am a self-proclaimed fan of kale, I do admit it’s bitterness and hardness make it somewhat of a turnoff in certain dishes. With pesto, you can just blend it up with pine nuts, cheese, and other goodies, and never even notice the difference.
what do i eat this with?
Honestly, you can simply add a spoonful of this to a bowl of cooked spaghetti and call it a meal! BUT, I had a feeling your might want some other ideas on how to incorporate this delicious kale pesto into your meals, so here are some ideas:
- Use it as a dipping sauce for these parsnip fritters when wild ramps aren’t in season
- Haven’t you heard? Kale is the new watercress (when it isn’t in season). Add it to this ‘spring’ pasta when it isn’t spring!
- Add a dollop to your shakshuka in the morning
- Trade the peas and mint for pesto on these ricotta toasts
Alright Zesters, those were just a few ideas. But there are loads of other ways you can use this kale pesto. Spread it on pizza and flatbread, or spoon it into a jar and put a cute little twine bow around it for a nice gift idea. Enjoy!
⟶ the recipe
kale pesto
ingredients
2 cups of chopped or baby kale
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup pine nuts
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
5 minutes
Total time
10 minutes
Makes 1 cup of pesto
instructions
Place kale, garlic, cheese, lemon juice, pine nuts, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Pulse until ingredients are combined.
Once everything is pretty much combined, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and pulse again until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste or add an extra drizzle of olive oil at the end.
⟶ recipe notes
- Depending on the strength of your food processor, you may need to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula a few times to get everything blended. Add up to a teaspoon of water if things aren’t breaking up
⟶ modifications
- Traditional pesto is typically made with basil, so if you’re craving that herby flavor, you can always try half kale and half basil
- Pine nuts are incredible, but they can be pricey—if you’re not wanting to splurge, you can try another nut instead. Almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts all work great!
⟶ store it
- Keep pesto refrigerated in a tightly sealed jar or other container for up to one week. Pesto also freezes well and can be kept up to 3 months
