Around this time of year I always begin to crave fresh, healthy, green foods. That’s what springtime is all about! And while it may be warmer here in Texas than other parts of the country, this delicious kale pesto is good year-round used any number of ways. Whether you’re serving the pesto on pasta, using it as a spread on a panini, stirring it into a soup, or using it to season chicken or fish, this kale pesto is a fun, unique alternative to the basil pesto you’re probably used to. Kale itself doesn’t have much flavor to it, but it adds an earthy, slightly bitter taste to this recipe that’s balanced out beautifully with fresh lemon juice, plenty of parmesan cheese, a little crushed red pepper, and fresh parsley. The other unique thing about this is that it’s made without nuts – it uses pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas), making it a nut-free pesto recipe!
How to make kale pesto
It’s so easy to whip up this kale pesto in your food processor in only 5 minutes! Here’s how. Ta da! That’s it!
How to make it vegan
The only animal product used in this kale pesto is parmesan cheese. To make it vegan, simply omit the parmesan cheese. If you omit the cheese, I recommend doing two things to pump up the flavor.
How to store homemade pesto
Homemade pesto will keep for at least a week – maybe even longer – in an airtight container or jar in your refrigerator. If you want to store it for longer than that, you can freeze homemade pesto for up to 6 months. This is great if you want to portion out the pesto or make it in bulk.
Wondering how to make the kale less bitter?
I’ve got you. Kale CAN be bitter, especially if it’s grown in warm weather, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s what I recommend: cut the kale BEFORE washing it, and soak the cut kale in ice water. Then wash, dry, and use! Here’s more on how to prep, cut, wash, and store kale.
How to use kale pesto
You can use kale pesto in any way that you would use basil pesto.
Add it to cooked pasta, along with a little bit of the cooking pasta water, and stir until every piece is coated. Yum! Use it to make pesto pasta salad or crispy pesto gnocchi with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes. Coat chicken breasts in it and bake it for a two-ingredient pesto chicken recipe. Or do the same thing with fish! Stir a spoonful or two into soup, like this green minestrone soup. Spread it on a pizza in place of red pizza sauce. Mix it with a little mayo and use it as a spread on a sandwich or a panini. Use it to make pesto chicken lasagna roll-ups.
There are so many pasta-bilities! …get it?
Other recipes with kale
Massaged Kale Salad with Apples and Goat Cheese Crispy Bacon and Kale Pizza Zuppa Toscana (Sausage and Kale Soup- Olive Garden Copycat) 15 Bean Soup with Kale Creamy Potato, Caramelized Fennel, and Kale Soup
More unique pesto recipes
Arugula and Lemon Pesto Cilantro Jalapeño Pesto
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