Kale adds a rich earthy note and brilliant green color to this hearty pesto. This makes about 1-1 1/2 cups pesto, which would also be good on fish, chicken, pork, or steak.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Inactive: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 large bunch kale, stemmed and leaves torn (about 1 pound)
- 10 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons roasted salted pistachios
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the kale to the boiling water and cook, stirring, until just wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the kale to the ice water (keep the water boiling). When cool, drain well and squeeze out as much water as possible. Coarsely chop the kale.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, pulse the pistachios and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the kale and parsley and pulse until very finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil in a steady stream. Add the Parmesan, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pulse to incorporate.
- Toss the pasta with the pesto, adding a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water if it seems dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 470 calorie |
| Total Fat | 18 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 3 grams |
| Cholesterol | 2 milligrams |
| Sodium | 358 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 67 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 12 grams |
| Protein | 16 grams |
| Sugar | 3 grams |
Reviews
We have been eating this for years, my 3 kids and husband love it!
I don’t like kale or non-tomato saucey noodles but this is actually DELICIOUS.
This was so delicious! I will definitely be using this as my go to pesto since I feel better having kale!
Easy, quick, tasty. I used much more garlic & pistachio than the recipe called for and it worked. My food processor is small/cheap so I couldn’t pour olive oil while pulsing so it was a little dry; however, I did add some pasta water, which loosened it up considerably. I’m going to keep playing with it. I might add crispy bacon next time.
This is great! I add a little more lemon juice, about double the parm, double the pistachios and I slightly roast the garlic with the pistachios before pulsing. Delicious!!
The whole family loved it, including the 4 & 5 year olds. What a great way to eat pasta guilt free. This one is a keeper!
This recipe is a keeper, I will make this again. I used a bit more olive oil and garlic than the recipe calls for, but then again a ‘bunch’ of kale is somewhat subjective. Yummy and super quick.
It is so delicious! I did not cook the kale and included a handful of basil, too. I just added all the pesto ingredients in the food processor and pulsed away.
Easy and tasty recipe! I love this quick kale recipe. I use whatever type of nuts and pasta I have on hand. It’s great to use the same pot for the kale and pasta. I sometimes skip the ice and put it directly into the blender in batches. It stays bright green for me. This is a go-to recipe for us.