Kale Pesto Recipe
on Dec 28, 2018, Updated Mar 18, 2025
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No basil? No problem! You can still have pesto (in 5 minutes!) — and with all the nutritional benefits of kale.
Pesto is most often made with basil, but other leafy greens and herbs can also make very interesting pestos (also think about Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Pumpkin Seed Pesto). Kale pesto is great because you can make it during the winter months when fresh basil isn’t exactly a readily available commodity.
Toss this with hot pasta and a little of the cooking water from the pasta (to thin it into a sauce), or stir it into rice or risotto. You can keep it covered in the fridge for several days.
Table of Contents
A clever (and easy!) kale pesto recipe that you can make when there’s no basil in sight!
What Kind of Kale to Use in Pesto
If you are using mature kale, make sure to cut out any thick rubs and stems, which could give the pesto a coarse or woody consistency. Keep in mind that the kale is uncooked, so the more tender the leaves the better.
Baby kale is great because the leaves and the stems are tender. You can just throw the whole leaves into the blender or food processor.
Ingredients
This is a nut-free pesto, but if you want to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts or any other nut to this when you add the kale, go right ahead. Traditional pesto has nuts (most commonly pine nuts, but sometimes other nuts like walnuts), but because I’m allergic, I always leave them out. You don’t have to, though!
- Garlic – There’s no need to mince the garlic; let the food processor take care of that!
- Fresh kale – Again, baby kale is best, but if you use mature kale, be sure to remove any tough stems.
- Fresh parsley
- Extra-virgin olive oil – A key ingredient to any homemade pesto.
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make Kale Pesto
- Chop the veggies: Place the garlic in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree. Add the kale and the parsley and pulse until the greens are finely chopped.
- Finish the pesto: Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse in the Parmesan cheese, but do not let the motor run and overprocess.
Tips and Uses
- If you want a looser pesto, add more olive oil — you’ll probably want to add more oil if you are tossing the pesto with pasta.
- There are loads of ways to put kale pesto to use: tossing it with pasta is natural, but also for crostini, spread on top of a toasted piece of bread brushed with olive oil, then maybe topped with mozzarella or goat cheese; as a sandwich or wrap spread; or mixed with plain Greek yogurt, crème fraîche or sour cream as a dip. Check out lots of other ideas and recipes for using pesto!
- A Kale Pesto and Goat Cheese Omelet
- Try other hard-grating cheeses instead of Parmesan, like Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano.
What to Serve With Kale Pesto
More Kale Recipes
- Pasta with Sautéed Kale and Toasted Bread Crumbs
- Chicken Pasta Salad
- Lebanese Couscous with Sautéed Kale and Lemon Dressing
- Creamed Kale with Parmesan
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Kale Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups firmly packed kale leaves (preferably baby kale, or remove any tough stems)
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the garlic in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree to chop the garlic. Add the kale and the parsley and pulse until the greens are finely chopped.
- Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running. Season with salt and pepper, then pulse in the Parmesan cheese, but do not let the motor run and overprocess.
