• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Contact
Check out my cookbook

The Toasted Pine Nut

fun. flavorful. feel-good recipes.

  • Check out my cookbook!
  • Recipes
    • Dessert
      • Cookies
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Breads & Muffins
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Pies & Crumbles
      • Candy
      • No Bake
    • Meal
      • Breakfast
      • Main Dishes
      • Appetizers
      • Sides
      • Snacks
      • Drinks
      • Salads
      • Sauces & Dips
      • Dessert
    • Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Egg Free
      • Kid Friendly
      • Low Carb
      • Nut Free
    • Meat
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Chicken & Poultry
      • Beef & Pork
      • Meatless
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Oven
      • Grill
      • Stovetop
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Recipe Filter
  • Shop
    • My Baking Mixes
    • Kitchen Essentials
    • Pantry Items
    • Kid Favorites
    • Photography
  • Cookbook
  • Videos
Home Diet Vegetarian
★★★★★ 5 from 2 Reviews

Kale Pesto

10 mins
VG Vegetarian
Avatar by: Lindsay Grimes Freedman
December 19, 2014 (Updated: July 27, 2020)
Jump to Recipe
Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Kale Pesto
You’ll love this easy 10 minute kale pesto recipe! I love swapping the kale pesto in for regular pesto. Plus, an extra serving of kale is always fun!

Two words: Kale. Pesto. This isn’t just the best kale pesto. This is the best pesto I’ve ever had. Yeah, you heard me! Here’s the thing. I get super excited when I find a new way to use kale. Kale is not just for salads! I put kale in smoothies. I make kale chips. I add it to casseroles. Ah! The possibilities are endless.

Kale Pesto

I added this pesto to spaghetti squash topped with cherry tomatoes and toasted pine nuts. I was literally licking the bowl I didn’t want it to be over. I kept looking up at Jaryd telepathically asking him, “Are you tasting this?!!” Using words would require taking a moment to pause, clear the food from my mouth, and articulate something. Ain’t nobody got time for that! There’s kale pesto in my bowl, honey!

The other great thing about kale pesto is you never even have to tell anyone it’s kale. No doubt, everyone will be distracted by the vibrant green, and the cheesy, garlicky goodness that the kale will be an afterthought.

Pesto is one of those things that literally takes 5 minutes to make, I don’t know why I ever bought it before.

Kale Pesto

Do it. Dooo itttt. You know you want to. Want some recipes use your kale pesto? Throw it in this chickpea pasta salad, or with these sweet potato noodles!

So let’s make some easy kale pesto!! First, toast your pine nuts in a pan over medium heat.

Kale Pesto

Place the de-stemmed kale (just pull the leaves away from the center stem), garlic, salt, and pine nuts in the food processor.

Kale Pesto

Process until everything is finely chopped, about 30 seconds.

Kale Pesto
Kale Pesto

Add your cheese and extra virgin olive oil and process again for about 10-30 seconds until combined.

Kale Pesto

Did you make this? Leave a review below and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

Recipe
VG Vegetarian

Kale Pesto

You’ll love this easy 10 minute kale pesto recipe! I love swapping the kale pesto in for regular pesto. Plus, an extra serving of kale is always fun!

AvatarRecipe by:Lindsay Grimes Freedman
★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
Prep: 10 minsTotal: 10 mins
Print recipe Rate recipe Pin Save recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 cups firmly packed kale, de-stemmed
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Toast your pine nuts in a pan over medium heat.
  2. Place the de-stemmed kale (just pull the leaves away from the center stem), garlic, salt, and pine nuts in the food processor and turn it on until everything is finely chopped, about 30 seconds. If you like chunkier pesto, then process less.
  3. Add your cheese and extra virgin olive oil and process again for about 10-30 seconds until combined.

Tips

To make this dairy free, nix the cheese and reduce the oil to about 2 tablespoons!

Nutrition Info:

  • Calories: 1354
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 1623mg
  • Fat: 135g
  • Saturated Fat: 19g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 106g
  • Carbohydrates: 25g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 24g
  • Cholesterol: 22mg
© The Toasted Pine Nut

Did you make this?

I love seeing what you made! Tag me on social @thetoastedpinenut

Rate recipe Tag me on Instagram

Let me know what you put it on!! Enjoy!! xo

You'll love this easy 10 minute kale pesto recipe! I love swapping the kale pesto in for regular pesto. Plus, an extra serving of kale is always fun! thetoastedpinenut.com
You'll love this easy 10 minute kale pesto recipe! I love swapping the kale pesto in for regular pesto. Plus, an extra serving of kale is always fun! thetoastedpinenut.com
57 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Save
  • Email
overhead image of a gluten free sprinkle cookie with a bite taken out on a white counter

Never miss a recipe!

Join our pine nut family and get recipes delivered right to your inbox.

Join now!
15 no bake desserts

You May Also Like...

  • Kale Pesto Chicken + Chickpea Pasta
  • Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash + Kale Walnut Pesto
  • This images looks into a glass jar filled with pesto. The jar sits on a white counter scattered with almonds.
    Vegan Almond Kale Pesto

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe it would mean SO MUCH to me if you give it a star rating and leave a comment about it. Not only do I love basking in the glory of your recipe love, but (perhaps more importantly 😋) it helps other readers find my recipes online. Thanks so much for your feedback!!

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. AvatarOssineide Chavarri says

    Posted on 7/26/18 at 2:59 pm

    The recipe came out great and it taste delicious, I am going to eat with cheese ravioli.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • AvatarLindsay says

      Posted on 8/8/18 at 6:11 am

      Yay!! That sounds delicious!!

      Reply
  2. Avatarmichelle says

    Posted on 5/10/20 at 7:40 am

    So easy and super tasty, I’ll be putting this on everything I can find. Grilled chicken paninis today and a big bowl of pasta tomorrow

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • AvatarLindsay Grimes Freedman says

      Posted on 8/6/20 at 4:56 pm

      Ah that sounds amazing!! I’m so happy you love the pesto! xo

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Lindsay

Hi Friend!

I'm Lindsay I love sharing simple, better-for-you recipes. When I'm not in the kitchen, you can find me at the beach watching my kids boogie board and soaking in that warm Cali sun (with sunscreen, of course).

Read more...

Recipe Key

GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free V Vegan VG Vegetarian EF Egg-Free NF Nut-Free P Paleo Browse All

Most Popular

5-Min Crunchy Chocolate Quinoa Crisps

overhead image of a muffin tin filled with 12 raw eggs sprinkled with pepper

Perfect Oven-Baked Eggs in a Muffin Tin

This is a side view of a chocolate almond butter bar with a bite taken out of it. The bar sits on a white piece of parchment paper and is sprinkled with salt. More bars are blurred in the background.

No Bake Almond Butter Bars

Lemon + Avocado Kale Salad

Freebie alert!

Get My Free No Bake Desserts eBook!

Explore

More Vegetarian

This is an overhead image of a bowl filled with yogurt and topped with blueberry glaze. A spoon is dipping into the yogurt and leaning against the side of the bowl. The bowl sits on a white surface.
★★★★★

Gorgeous Glossy 10-Min Blueberry Glaze

This is an overhead image of a muffin tin filled with individual cheesecakes topped with pecans. The muffin tin sits on a light surface.

Rich & Creamy Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Minis

This is a side view of a brownie with a pecan pie topping and a bite taken out of it. The brownie sits on a white piece of parchment paper with more brownies blurred in the background.

Deliciously Decadent Pecan Pie Brownies (in 30 minutes!)

This is an overhead image looking down onto gooey chocolate brownies cut into squares and topped with pecans, chocolate and flakey salt. The brownies sit on a white piece of parchment paper.

Ultra Fudgey Almond Butter Brownies (in 30 minutes!!)

Browse All
15 No bake desserts

Download my FREE No Bake Dessert Ebook!

As seen on:

Food Network
Shape
Men's Health
NBC
Kitchn
Glamour
  • Browse by Diet
    • Gluten Free
    • Dairy Free
    • Vegan
    • Egg Free
    • Low Carb
    • Recipe Filter
  • Explore Resources
    • FAQ
    • My Baking Mixes
    • Cookbook
    • Shop Favorites
    • Web Stories
    • Meet Lindsay
Follow

@thetoastedpinenut

Accessibility

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Contact

© 2023 The Toasted Pine Nut
|
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
Back to Top
57 shares