This vegan kale pesto pasta is made with kale instead of basil, and it's super versatile and easy to make! The cashews and pine nuts cut the bitterness of the kale and add a savory flavor. It's a great way to enjoy pesto when basil is not in season.
Basil is hands down my favorite fresh herb, and pesto is one of my favorite comfort foods. It's sad that it requires copious amounts of fresh basil to make pesto, reserving pesto pasta for summer when you can get your hands on lots of fresh basil for a good price.
Luckily, kale pesto is a great alternative when pesto is not in season (or costs an arm and a leg at the grocery store). It makes a delicious light dinner served with pasta, salads, or sandwiches. You can add it to pasta, pizza, lasagna, or your favorite salad. Serve with a side of Tomato Bruschetta and Garlic Knots!
I used to be personally offended by "pesto" made with anything other than basil, and I'm still not a fan of most pesto without basil (especially spinach pesto!). Kale pesto, on the other hand, looks like traditional pesto and has the same, slightly gritty texture that adheres to pasta nicely.
Looks are not deceiving either—this stuff is tasty. You get the satisfaction of eating pesto, but it's a different version of pesto that's delicious in its own right. I'm not going to pretend that it tastes just like basil pesto because there is no basil, but the pine nuts and cashew Parmesan give it a savory, addictive flavor.
🥬 Ingredients
- Raw cashews
- Pine nuts
- Nutritional yeast
- Garlic
- Kale
- Lemon
- Olive oil
- Pasta
- Your choice of veggies
- Salt
- Pepper
Raw Cashews
You can use any kind of nuts you like. Cashews are great because they have a nice neutral flavor and texture, but almonds or walnuts would be great as well!
Kale
You can use any kind of kale—curly kale, Tuscan kale (also called lacinato or dinosaur kale), or baby kale! Tuscan kale and baby kale are more tender than curly kale and will be less gritty in texture.
Baby kale vs kale: Baby kale is just regular kale (of any variety) that has been harvested early. It has a milder flavor than mature kale so if you find that raw kale tastes bitter, try replacing all or some of the kale in this recipe with baby kale.
Lemon
Make sure to use fresh lemon juice in this recipe for the best flavor!
🥣 Equipment
The easiest way to make kale pesto is in a food processor so you can pulse it until the ideal texture is achieved, rather than pulverizing it in a blender (though you can use a blender—just make sure it doesn't liquify it!).
My favorite food processor is my Cuisinart food processor, which is great for pesto, hummus, and dips! It also comes with grater attachments that I use to grate carrots, beets, and zucchini.
🔪 Instructions
For the pesto:
Combine the cashews, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the nuts and garlic are coarsely ground.
Gradually add the 2 cups of kale, pulsing until finely chopped. Add the salt and lemon juice. Drizzle in the olive oil while blending the pesto until smooth.
Taste and adjust the flavors to your preferences. Add more olive oil or lemon if it's too thick, or add more kale if desired.
For the pasta:
Boil the pasta according to the package instructions and reserve some of the pasta water when draining.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil for the veggies in a pan over low-medium heat, then add the sliced onions. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring infrequently.
Add the garlic and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 30 more seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
Add the pesto to the pasta, stirring to coat. If it's too thick or dry, add a splash or two of the pasta water to smooth it out.
Plate your pesto pasta, then top each plate with some of the veggies and a sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan.
💭 Tips
- This recipe doubles well if you're feeding more people, want larger portions, or need leftovers for lunch!
- I highly recommend making a big batch of homemade 5 Minute Vegan Parmesan and keeping it in your fridge to top your pasta and pizza. It will keep well for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can add more or less kale to the pesto depending on your preferences. Using more kale will give the pesto a more vegetal taste, but you'll get more pesto and more veggies on your plate. Using less kale will make the pesto even more flavorful.
- Any leftover pesto keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container. It doesn't brown like basil pesto typically would, so no need to cover the top with a layer of olive oil.
- You can use any kind of veggies you have on hand in the kale pesto pasta, or skip the veggies altogether.
📋 Variations
Looking for other ways to use your kale pesto? It's super versatile and kale pesto adds a kick to all kinds of recipes!
Kale and Basil Pesto
You can replace some of the kale with basil to "stretch" your basil. Half kale and half fresh basil is a good ratio to still get the strong basil flavor and traditional pesto texture, but the volume of kale pesto.
Kale Pesto Pasta Salad
Pesto pasta salad is absolutely delicious! If you serve this kale pesto pasta cold, voila! You have pasta salad. You could also try my Vegan Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing and replace some or all of the Italian dressing with kale pesto. You may need to thin out the pesto a little with olive oil or water to coat the pasta and veggies.
Kale Pesto Hummus
Try adding a spoonful of kale pesto to your hummus! This works well for homemade or store bought hummus. Simply stir 1-2 tablespoons of kale pesto into 1 cup hummus, to taste. You can mix it in completely or swirl it in.
Kale Pesto Salad
Kale pesto makes an excellent addition to any salad. You can even use it as the salad dressing! Thin out 2 tablespoons of kale pesto with water, olive oil, or salad vinegar, according to your taste preferences.
Kale Pesto Pizza
Ever tried pesto pizza? It's super delicious! You can either use the pesto as the "sauce" in place of marinara, or dollop it on a traditional pizza.
Kale Pesto Sandwich
Use kale pesto as a condiment on your favorite sandwich, panini, or grilled cheese!
❓ FAQs
Yes, you can freeze kale pesto! Freeze in an airtight container and use within 6 months. The freezer may alter the texture of the pesto slightly, but you can give it a try and see if it's noticeable to you or not.
It's important to season the kale pesto well to mask the bitter flavor of raw kale. If you find the pesto tastes bitter or too vegetal, add more nutritional yeast, salt, and pine nuts. Avoid adding the kale stems to the pesto, using just the leaves. You could also use baby kale instead of regular kale. Baby kale is just kale that has been harvested early in the growth process, and it has a more neutral flavor than mature kale.
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Kale Pesto Pasta with Pine Nuts
This vegan kale pesto pasta is made with kale instead of basil, and it's super versatile and easy to make! The cashews and pine nuts cut the bitterness of the kale and add a savory flavor. It's a great way to enjoy pesto when basil is not in season.
Ingredients
Pesto
- 3 tablespoons raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-3 cups kale pieces, tightly packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup olive oil
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta, any kind
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
Instructions
For the pesto:
- Combine the cashews, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
- Pulse until the nuts and garlic are coarsely ground.
- Gradually add the 2 cups of kale, pulsing until finely chopped.
- Add the salt and lemon juice.
- Drizzle in the olive oil while blending the pesto until smooth.
- Taste and adjust the flavors to your preferences. Add more olive oil or lemon if it's too thick, or add more kale if desired.
For the pasta:
- Boil the pasta according to the package instructions and reserve some of the pasta water when draining.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil for the veggies in a pan over low-medium heat, then add the sliced onions.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring infrequently.
- Add the garlic and sundried tomatoes and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
- Add the pesto to the pasta, stirring to coat. If it's too thick or dry, add a splash or two of the pasta water to smooth it out.
- Plate your pesto pasta, then top each plate with some of the veggies
Notes
- This recipe doubles well if you're feeding more people, want larger portions, or need leftovers for lunch!
- You can replace some of the kale with basil to "stretch" your basil.
- I highly recommend making a big batch of homemade vegan cashew almond Parmesan and keeping it in your fridge to top your pasta and pizza. It will keep well for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.
- You can add more or less kale to the pesto depending on your preferences. Using more kale will give the pesto a more vegetal taste, but you'll get more pesto and more veggies on your plate. Using less kale will make the pesto even more flavorful.
- Any leftover pesto keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container. It doesn't brown like basil pesto typically would, so no need to cover the top with a layer of olive oil.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: ¼ recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 479Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 261mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 14g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
This post was originally published in January 2020. The post text and images have been updated, but the recipe has not changed.
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