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    Home » Dressings & Sauces

    Kale Pesto

    Published: Dec 3, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Here's an easy, tasty, and vibrant kale pesto recipe that you can make in 5 minutes with simple ingredients.

    Spread it in a sandwich, mix it with pasta, or serve it as an appetizer with crunchy crostini or focaccia bread.

    Kale pesto with hand and spoon
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Tips
    • Make Ahead & Storage
    • More Kale Recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best sauce recipes.

    Kale pesto is hands down one of the best winter pesto recipes when fresh basil is out of season and kale abounds.

    You can make it with curly kale or dinosaur kale (also known as Tuscan kale or Cavolo Nero), and you can use it just like any other pesto.

    You can prepare the pesto ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for months.

    It's an excellent meal prep idea and works wonderfully on pasta and anything with bread. It's also delicious in a sandwich, wraps, as a dressing for salads, including potato salads, pasta salads, and grain salads, or as a topping on pizza.

    You can make kale pesto with or without dairy, based on your dietary preferences. To make it with dairy, we recommend using grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano are best).

    To make the recipe dairy-free and vegan, substitute nutritional yeast for parmesan.

    Kale Pesto in a white bowl

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for Kale Pesto

    Kale

    You can use curly kale or dinosaur kale, sometimes called Tuscan kale or lacinato kale.

    Use fresh, not frozen, kale leaves, and remember to discard the woodier stems.

    Nuts

    We use almonds in this kale pesto recipe; however, you can easily substitute walnuts, pine nuts, and macadamia nuts for almonds.

    Olive oil

    Pick a good quality, fruity, extra virgin olive oil. Since the pesto is consumed raw, you'll taste the quality of the oil; a better oil makes a tastier kale pesto.

    Tip: good quality extra virgin olive oil can develop bitterness if processed at high speed.

    To prevent that, add the oil at the end once the other ingredients are processed. Then pulse a few times to incorporate the oil, but never blend at full speed.

    Water

    We add cold water to keep things cool in the blender and to reduce the amount of oil used in traditional pesto recipes.

    Parmesan Cheese or Nutritional Yeast

    Grated parmesan cheese is the more traditional choice; however, you can easily make this recipe dairy-free by substituting nutritional yeast flakes for parmesan. Nutritional yeast adds a mild cheesy flavor.

    Garlic

    A small clove of garlic adds a beautiful aroma.

    Lemon juice

    Lemon juice freshens the recipe, adding a hint of acidity that is welcomed in kale pesto.

    Some add lemon zest, but we prefer not to make the pesto too lemony. Beware of lemon seeds; they'll make your pesto butter if you blend them.

    Salt

    We recommend sea salt or kosher salt. Black pepper or red pepper flakes are optional.

    farfalle with kale pesto

    Instructions

    Rinse your kale, pat it dry, chop up the leaves, and discard the woodier stems.

    To a food processor, add chopped kale leaves, nuts, grated parmesan or nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, water, and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.

    Tip: you'll need to scrape down the sides of your food processor with a spatula once or twice.

    Kale Pesto ready to blend

    Add extra virgin olive oil and pulse a few more times until the ingredients are well incorporated.

    Add more water or oil until you reach your desired consistency, then taste and adjust for salt.

    Tip: pulse, don't blend continuously. The antioxidants in the extra virgin olive oil can turn bitter if exposed to high processing speeds.

    Food processor with kale pesto

    Transfer into a bowl, store in a jar, or use right away.

    Kale Pesto with silver spoon

    Serving suggestions

    As a starter on bruschetta, crostini or served with homemade focaccia bread.

    It's also excellent as a spread in a sandwich.

    Kale Pesto on bruschetta

    Use it to make tasty, nutritious, and colorful kale pasta.

    First, boil your favorite short or long pasta shape al dente in plenty of salted boiling water, drain it and toss it with a ladleful of reserved pasta water and the kale pesto.

    Kale Pesto with bow tie pasta

    Variations

    You can make pesto with most vegetables and fresh herbs. Here are some ideas for you:

    • vegan pesto
      Vegan Basil Pesto
    • Spinach Pesto with tofu in a pan
      Spinach Pesto
    • Artichoke pesto close up in a bowl
      Artichoke Pesto
    • parsley pesto
      Parsley Pesto
    • red pepper pesto
      Red Pepper Pesto
    • zucchini pesto
      Zucchini Pesto
    • sun-dried tomato pesto
      Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
    • arugula pesto
      Arugula Pesto

    Tips

    Pulse, and avoid blending continuously.

    Blending at high speed can change the flavor of the pesto by oxidizing the olive oil and the kale and making the pesto slightly bitter.

    It's best to pulse to ensure the blender or food processor doesn't heat the ingredients changing their flavor and color.

    Make Ahead & Storage

    Make Ahead: kale pesto is a great recipe to make ahead and keep in your fridge or freezer.

    Refrigerator: transfer the pesto to an airtight container like a jar, cover the top with a bit of oil to prevent the kale from oxidizing and turning dark, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 - 7 days. Stir with a spoon before using.

    Freezer: transfer the pesto to a jar or other freezer-friendly container, cover it with a bit of oil, and freeze for up to 6 months. Do not freeze multiple times.

    Thaw: thaw in the refrigerator over a few hours. We don't recommend thawing in the microwave, as too much heat can change the color and flavor of the pesto. Stir with a spoon before using.

    More Kale Recipes

    If you love cooking with kale, check out the following:

    • Lentil soup with wholesome tasty ingredients, it's a nourishing and cozy dinner idea.
    • Kale chips, crunchy with grated lemon and red pepper flakes.
    • Tuscan soup, creamy and nutritious, with white beans and leafy greens.
    • Savory crepes made with chickpea flour, sauteed mushrooms, and kale.
    • Rainbow kale salad with roasted pumpkin and pomegranate seeds
    • Kale chip with red pepper flakes
      Kale Chips
    • chickpea crepes with white sauce
      Savory Crepes
    • Tuscan soup with spoon and bread
      Tuscan Soup
    • Lentil soup with veggies and a spoon
      Lentil Soup

    For more condiment ideas, check out our dressing and sauces category page.

    Recipe

    Kale pesto and silver spoon

    Kale Pesto

    Author: Nico
    Here's an easy, tasty, and vibrant kale pesto recipe that you can make in 5 minutes with simple ingredients.
    Spread it in a sandwich, mix it with pasta, or serve it as an appetizer with crunchy crostini or focaccia bread.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Appetizer, Dressing & Sauces
    Cuisine American Italian
    Servings 6 - 8 servings
    Calories 124 kcal

    Equipment

    • Food processor or blender

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 3 packed cups (3.7 oz) chopped kale curly or dinosaur kale, woodier stems removed.
    • ⅓ cup almonds sub walnuts or pine nuts.
    • 1 clove garlic
    • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated, sub 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast.
    • ¼ cup cold water
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse kale, pat it dry, chop leaves, and discard the woodier stems.
      To a food processor, add chopped kale leaves, nuts, grated parmesan or nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, water, and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped.
      Scrape down sides of food processor if necessary.
      Kale Pesto ready to blend
    • Add extra virgin olive oil and pulse a few more times until the ingredients are well incorporated.
      Add more water or oil until you reach your desired consistency, then taste and adjust for salt.
      Food processor with kale pesto
    • Transfer into a bowl, store in a jar, or use right away.
      Kale Pesto in a white bowl

    SERVING SUGGESTIONS

    • Try it as a starter, on crostini or bruschetta.
      Kale Pesto on bruschetta
    • Make a delicious kale pasta by tossing the pesto with pasta cooked al dente.
      Kale Pesto with bow tie pasta

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of kale pesto out of 8, made with parmesan cheese.
    One serving made with nutritional yeast has about 107 kcal and no cholesterol.
    This recipe is enough for 1 pound (450 grams) of pasta.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Kale Pesto
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 124 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 7g
    Cholesterol 5mg2%
    Potassium 62mg2%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Dietary Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 0.3g0%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 92IU2%
    Vitamin B6 0.02mg1%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 6µg6%
    Calcium 74mg7%
    Folate 4µg1%
    Iron 0.3mg2%
    Manganese 0.2mg10%
    Magnesium 19mg5%
    Zinc 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    If you liked this kale pesto, you might also like the following:

    • dinner ideas with soups and pasta
      45 Easy Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
    • best soup recipes with toppings
      20 Best Soup Recipes (with Toppings)
    • 45 best salad recipes including green beans
      45 Best Salad Recipes
    • easy pasta recipes in 30 minutes
      40 Easy Pasta Recipes
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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

    Hi, we are Nico and Louise, and we love cooking! Welcome to our blog.

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