Homemade Kale Pesto recipe
You’re probably familiar with basilor wild garlic pesto, the kind we love to mix with pasta or spread on a good slice of toast. Well, today I’m offering you a slightly different version: kale pesto. Yes, that famous curly green cabbage with its large, slightly tough leaves that we don’t always cook spontaneously… and yet!
Kale definitely deserves its place on our plates. This old-fashioned vegetable, which has made a big comeback in recent years, is a true powerhouse of goodness: iron, vitamins, antioxidants… in short, a little natural energy boost. It’s the kind of food I like to have on hand, even if I can’t always find it…
I discovered kale somewhat by chance, and since then, I love experimenting with it in different recipes. Raw in salads, cooked, sautéed, or even as chips, it adapts to everything. But in pesto, I find it really reveals something special: a slightly herbaceous flavor, a bit more rustic than basil, which adds character to dishes. By the way, if you like basil, don’t hesitate to add a few leaves to this recipe.
This pesto is quick to prepare and keeps well with a drizzle of olive oil. A spoonful on hot pasta, roasted vegetables, grilled fish, or even soup, and voilà, everything takes on a new dimension.
If you prefer a slightly milder flavor, feel free to blanch the leaves before blending them. Personally, I prepare it raw to preserve all the flavor of the kale and maximize its nutritional benefits.
So, if you’re looking for a change from classic pesto, try this autumn-winter version with kale: simple, flavorful, and ideal for boosting your iron and vitamin intake.
Homemade Kale Pesto recipe
Ingredients you do need to make kale pesto:
- Kale leaves
- One clove of garlic
- Toasted pine nuts
- Freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Homemade Kale Pesto recipe
Ingredients
- 60 g kale
- 25 g toasted pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 25 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 30-50 g olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and spin-dry the kale leaves, then pat them dry with paper towels.Remove the stems and the thickest ribs. Cut them into thin strips.
- Place the toasted pine nuts in the bowl of a small blender and chop them finely.
- Add the shredded kale leaves and the peeled and crushed garlic clove. Blend again.
- Season with salt and pepper, then add the grated Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Blend until smooth.
- Before serving, you can store the mixture for a few days in the refrigerator in a jar, covered with olive oil. You can also freeze it in small portions in an ice cube tray.
