You won’t believe the greenness of this kale pesto. Just one look at this pesto and you know it’s got to be good for you. And more than that, it tastes so vibrant and fresh. And if like me you struggle to get your husband and family to eat kale, then trust me, you need to make this. This recipe will convert them into kale eaters immediately. It’s easy to make, it’s packed full of goodness, and can be used in so many dishes. What’s not to love.
Kale
When most people think of pesto, they picture the traditional version made with basil. But I want to share a vibrant green alternative – kale pesto. It’s not only delicious but absolutely brimming with nutritional goodness. Added to which, it’s a vegetable that grows easily in the UK climate almost year round.
Kale has rightfully earned its reputation as a nutritional powerhouse, and for good reason. This leafy green is packed with vitamins A, C, and K. In fact, just one cup provides over 100% of your daily vitamin C and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It’s also rich in antioxidants like beta-carotene and flavonoids, which help protect your cells from damage. The iron, calcium, and folate content make it particularly valuable for maintaining strong bones and healthy blood.
What I love about this kale pesto recipe is how it transforms this sometimes intimidating superfood into something utterly approachable, and a recipe you’ll make time and again. Unlike cooked kale, which can sometimes be bitter, raw kale in pesto maintains a pleasant, slightly peppery flavor that pairs beautifully with the other ingredients.
Whether you’re tossing it with pasta, spreading it on sourdough, using it as a marinade for grilled vegetables, or swirling into a risotto, this kale pesto proves that eating your greens doesn’t have to be a chore but in fact a tasty delight.
Other kale recipes
For some ideas of using your kale pesto to try:
- Swirl into a risotto
- Add a big spoonful to a soup like Italian Minestrone soup
- Toss pieces of kale leaves in olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and air fry for 3-4 mins, shaking regularly, for crispy (and healthy) kale crisps
Growing kale
Kale is brilliant for UK gardens – it’s one of the most reliable vegetables you can grow, especially since it actually improves in flavor after a frost. Kale isn’t fussy on where it’s planted, but it does like well drained soil and would appreciate the addition of compost when preparing the soil. It also tolerates shade better than some vegetables, and therefore can help to plug that gap in your garden.
I usually start seeds in modules in the greenhouse, but they can be sown directly in the ground about 1cm deep. Kale grows quite large, so give it room. I’ll plant seeds from April through to the autumn giving me a crop from summer through to early spring. I would suggest netting your kale (this year I have my kale and brassicas under a mosquito net) to keep them safe from cabbage white butterflies whose offspring will wipe out a plant in a matter of a couple of days!
Varieties of kale to grow
‘Dwarf Green Curled’ is compact and hardy, ‘Cavolo Nero’ (black kale) is particularly cold-hardy and delicious, and this year I’m trying ‘Black Magic’ which seems to be doing well (pictured above).
You could use a variety of nuts in this pesto. Walnut would work well and give a stronger flavour and another slightly creamier option would be Macadamia nut.
Pesto is something that absolutely freezes well and it’s great to ‘get ahead’ and make a batch to put into an ice cube tray in the freezer and pop out and use whenever you want to add to a pasta dish, salad dressing, etc.
Kale Pesto
Equipment
- 1 smaller processor or blender
Ingredients
- 100 g kale
- 1 clove of garlic
- 40 g pine nuts see notes for variation
- 40 g grated parmesan or pecorino
- ½ lemon juiced
- 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- First prepare the kale by stripping out any of the woody central stem, wash the leaves in cold water, drain in a colander to remove all excess water and roughly chop.
- In a small food processor/blender, combine the kale, garlic, pine nuts, and the cheese and blend until finely chopped.
- Add the oil in, either drizzling into the blender or adding in 3-4 batches, until you have a smooth and creamy consistency. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally.
- Season and if the consistency is too thick you can add a little water.
- Place the pesto in a jar and store in the fridge. With the top layer covered in oil, it will keep for a week.
Notes
- You can use a variety of nuts in this pesto. Walnut would work well and give a stronger flavour, or for a creamier option you can try macadamia.
- You can always freeze small portions of the pesto in an ice cube tray to preserve for longer.
