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Overhead photo of kale pesto in glass jar on wood board with pine nuts and cut lemon

Easy Kale Pesto Recipe (tasty twist on a classic!)

Are you craving a homemade classic basil pesto, but are completely out of fresh basil? No problem! This insanely delicious kale pesto recipe will absolutely satisfy your craving! It has all the ingredients you'd find in most pesto recipes: grated Parmesan cheese, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, and olive oil.  But instead of basil, you substitute some fresh kale and voila.....an insanely delicious twist on a classic recipe!
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Course: condiments, sauces
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • 1 Food Processor

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch lacinato kale, leaves only lacinato is also known as dinosaur, but you can also use baby kale or curly kale
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
  • 1 clove garlic thinly sliced
  • juice of one lemon
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a large mixing bowl ready filled with ice water. When the water comest to a boil, add the kale and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes, until it is wilted.
  • Transfer the wilted kale to the ice water. When the kale is chilled (this only takes a couple of minutes) remove it from the ice water. As you remove the kale from the ice water, use your hands to squeeze out all excess water. Take an extra minute on this step and really do a good job of squeezing out all the excess water from the kale. This will improve the taste and texture of your pesto.
  • Transfer the kale to a food processor. Add the Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of olive oil. Pulse in the food processor to incorporate all the ingredients, and it has the consistency of a pesto.
  • I tend to like my pesto on the chunkier side, but if you like yours smoother keep blending, or add a tablespoon more of olive oil . Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, give it one more pulse and taste. Adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice.
  • Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does!

Notes

Answering all your questions! (if you still have a question, ask it in the comment section!)

What if you don't have pine nuts? Use walnuts or pistachios instead. 
Do you really need to toast your nuts? Toasting your nuts (regardless of what type of nuts you use) always enhances the flavor.  It brings out the natural nuttiness and sweetness, so I highly recommend not skipping this step.  It's absolutely worth taking the time!
How do you prevent your pesto from turning brown? ​The good news is kale remains vibrant longer than basil.  Adding another squeeze of lemon juice and topping it with a generous drizzle of olive oil, will also help it remain bright and green.  
Can you freeze it?  YES! Double or triple the recipe and freeze it in an ice cube tray or the small silicon Souper containers. 
What's the best cheese to use? Parmesan cheese is perfect for it's robust nutty flavor.  Pecorino romano would also work, but has a bolder, sharper and saltier flavor.  If you're using pecorino romano, I'd recommend cutting the amount of cheese in half, tasting, and adding more based on what tastes good to you. 

Storage Options:

​Leftover kale pesto can be stored in airtight container in the fridge.  Before covering, drizzle some olive oil over the top to help preserve the flavor and the vibrant color.