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5.0 from 18 votes

Kale Pesto (in 5 minutes!)

This Kale Pesto recipe is made with just 6 ingredients and one bowl. It takes just minutes to prepare, and tastes amazing on pasta, pizza, and more.

Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 189 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

Kale Pesto:
  • 1 bunch kale (Lacinato or curly) , stems removed (85 grams without stems)
  • 3/4 cup raw walnuts (84 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (31 grams)
  • 3 cloves garlic (6 grams)
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (4 grams)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (58 grams)
  • water, as needed to blend
Pasta Suggestions:
  • 12 ounces linguine (use brown rice or lentil past for gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes , sliced in half
  • 1/2 red onion , chopped

Instructions

How to Make Kale Pesto:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, combine the kale leaves, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, olive oil, and 1/4 cup of water. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the blender, as needed.
  2. Taste the pesto, and adjust the flavor and texture to your liking. For a smoother pesto, add up to 1/4 cup more water. For more flavor, you can add 1/4 teaspoon more salt, to help compensate for the lack of Parmesan cheese. (Or if you want to add Parmesan cheese to this, use only 1/2 teaspoon of salt to start with, and add more to taste, after adding the cheese. See notes.)
  3. Once the flavor and texture are to your liking, you can use this pesto on pasta, pizza, and more. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
Pasta Assembly:
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it and set aside. (You can prepare the pesto sauce while the pasta is cooking.)
  2. Using the same pot you used for the pasta, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and tomatoes until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the cooked noodles and prepared pesto sauce, and toss until heated through. Serve warm.

Notes

  • This recipe makes roughly 1 1/2 cups of pesto.
  • The nutrition information is for 1/4 cup of pesto sauce, but keep in mind that this is just an estimate, and not a guarantee.
  • If you'd like to add Parmesan cheese to this recipe, start with only 1/2 teaspoon of salt and add in 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan. Add water, as needed, to thin the sauce to your liking, and season with additional salt, only if needed.

Nutrition Information

Calories 189kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Sodium 300mg (13%) Potassium 177mg (5%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 2165IU (43%) Vitamin C 29mg (32%) Calcium 50mg (5%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 189

% Daily Value*

Calories 189kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 300mg 13%
Potassium 177mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 2165IU 43%
Vitamin C 29mg 32%
Calcium 50mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.