I’ve made kale pesto before (Kale Pesto Pasta), but I felt like the pesto needed a post itself. I often find myself with leftover fresh kale (why does it come in such HUGE quantities?), scrambling for ways to use it up before it gets slimy. Making a small batch of this Kale Pesto is one great option. Once the kale is turned into pesto, it can be smeared or drizzled on just about anything.
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Why I Love Kale Pesto
So there are a couple of reasons that I like to make pesto with kale. First, it’s usually a lot less expensive and more accessible than large quantities of fresh basil, especially as we move into the fall and winter months (kale is a cold weather crop). Second, I always find myself with extra kale, so it’s a great way to make sure those leftover bits don’t go to waste. It does have a decidedly more bitter flavor than basil pesto, but if you’re a bitter flavor lover like me, that will be a bonus.
“What a great idea for leftover kale. I love pesto. thanks for all the ideas in the comments. I make a hummus recipe using mixed beans without chickpeas, as I am allergic. I think this would be a great accompaniment to my hummus. thanks so much for all your ideas.”
Judy Mata
Kale Pesto
Servings 4 1/4 cup eachIngredients
- 4 cups torn kale leaves ($1.06)
- 1/3 cup olive oil ($0.85)
- 1 fresh lemon ($0.37)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 1/4 cup walnuts ($0.30)
- 1/3 cup Parmesan ($0.59)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
Instructions
- Make sure your kale leaves are washed well, any excess water is drained away, and any hard stems removed. Zest and juice the lemon.
- Add the kale, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to a food processor. Process until the mixture is a fine textured paste. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon if desired. If you want a runnier pesto for drizzling, add extra oil, or up to 2 Tbsp water.
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Equipment
- Food Processor
- Grater
- Small Enamelware Bowl
Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Kale Pesto – Step by Step Photos
Make sure your kale is washed well, excess water is drained away, and any large woody stems removed (I buy mine bagged and pre-chopped, but still need to remove some stems). Zest and juice the lemon. Add about 4 cups of kale to a food processor along with 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, 1/3 cup Parmesan, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Process the mixture until it is a fine textured paste. Taste, and adjust the lemon, salt, or pepper if desired. If you want the pesto to be a bit runnier (so you can drizzle it on things), you can add more oil or up to 2 Tbsp water.
Can I Add Other Fresh Herbs?
Yes, yes, yes! If you have access to other fresh herbs, like basil, parsley, or even spinach, feel free to toss them in there with your kale!
P.S. if you have frozen whole lemons, they would work great for this recipe!
What Kind of Parmesan Should I Use?
There’s no arguing that fresh Parmesan in block or wedge form is far superior to the grated Parmesan bought in a can. That being said, I made this pesto with the kind in a can just to make sure it was still tasty even with a more affordable ingredient. If you have access to the better stuff, go ahead and use it! :)
How to Use Kale Pesto
Kale pesto is good on EVERYTHING. Use it as a sandwich spread (I have a pesto grilled cheese coming your way later this week), drizzle it on eggs, in soups (I drizzled it on my Rosemary Garlic White Bean Soup the other day), You can mix it into dips like hummus, toss with freshly cooked pasta, or use it as a sauce for pizza. Just put it on everything. You won’t be disappointed.
How Long Does Kale Pesto Last?
Because kale pesto contains fresh kale, it will only be good in your refrigerator for 3-4 days. The fresh kale in the pesto will begin to rot (and get stinky), just as the fresh leaves do. That’s one reason I made this a fairly small batch, yielding only about one cup.
That being said, you CAN freeze pesto! Most people like to freeze it in 1-2 Tbsp portions for easy thawing later. The easiest way to do that is in an ice cube tray, then transferring to a freezer bag once solid.
This may have been covered already. . . can I use frozen kale for this recipe? (Not my own that I froze, I bought it frozen). Not sure of the water content of that, and whether it may cause issues.
I think you could probably make that work! Just make sure to cook it a little longer so most of that liquid evaporates off.
Looks great! Any tips on making it dairy-free or vegan?
That’s tricky, since Parmesan is such an integral part of pesto, so I think I’d need to do some experimenting before offering any suggestions. :)
I don’t like pesto but I really enjoyed this.
Please is the calorie information per portion?
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
Csn I use bottled lemon juice? Does it make a difference?
Yes you could, I would just use about half as it’s more concentrated.
I made this to use up a bunch of kale I got in my Imperfect Produce box that was starting to wilt and it was amazing! I think the quality of oil and parmigiano made a difference, but I’d definitely make it again.
I love this!
What a great idea for leftover kale. I love pesto. thanks for all the ideas in the comments. I make a hummus recipe using mixed beans without chickpeas, as I am allergic. I think this would be a great accompaniment to my hummus. thanks so much for all your ideas.
Oh yes that sounds delicious!
Beth,
Thank you for the tip several weeks ago about freezing fresh spinach before it goes bad. I wish I had known about this before. I stick the whole bag straight into the freezer. I didn’t pre-chop it. I now just discovered that I can keep it in the bag and when it is frozen, I just “crunch “ it up with my hands. Perfect for sprinkling in my morning omelette. Thanks Beth for the inspiration!!!
Hooray! You’re welcome Mel!
I dry my kale and it works really well smoothies, dips, dressings and meatloaf
Dinosaur/Lacinato/Tuscan Kale and the Red Russian variety of kale is less bitter than the curly leaf kale. Since kale is a cold weather crop, the cooler the temps, the milder and sweeter the flavor. Also the longer kale sits, the more bitter it becomes. Also to help with it getting slimy, try wrapping the whole bunch in paper towels to absorb the moisture. I’m going to try your recipe, it sounds very good!
Great tips Joanne!
I used to make what I called “poor man’s pesto”, which was very similar to this, but I used spinach and dried basil or Italian seasoning. Love these ideas!
Exactly!
I sauteed the kale in a little oil before processing it– seemed to help cut the bitterness. Also used flax meal instead of nuts — turned out well. Thanks for the suggestion on what to do with extra kale.
Good to know Kim!
Any suggestions on how to tame the bitterness? Maybe something to pair/serve it with?
Sweet flavors tend to dampen bitterness, but I think that’s just the nature of the beast with this one because kale is a classic bitter food.
Hey Beth! Tried to make kale pesto at home once and it was SO GOOD on soup, as you mentioned. Do you think the pesto would last longer if I went through the fuss of blanching the leaves first? I’ve seen some recipes mentioned that and wondered what you might think about it.
Hmm, I’m not sure that would give you a significant increase in the refrigerator life. While it may kill any yeast or bacteria on the outside of the kale, there are still environmental organisms from other ingredients and surfaces that can flourish in the finished pesto. Cooked food in general shouldn’t be kept for more than 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Can’t wait to try this! But, we have nut allergies in our house.
BETH: can I sub sunflower seed for the walnuts?
I’ve seen that done in other pesto recipes.
I’ve also subbed in cannelini beans (white beans) instead of nuts, or made “pistou” which is basically pesto without the nuts!
While I haven’t tried it, I think that would probably work. Sunflower seeds have a significant oil content, so they would probably work well. I’ve sen people make pesto with pumpkin seeds, too, and those are a lot less oily.
Great ideas, thanks everyone!
This looks so good! I can’t wait to try it soon!
Paige
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