Easy Kale Walnut Pesto

This kale walnut pesto recipe is ready in just 5 minutes. Make it in the blender and add this pesto to pizza, pasta, eggs, and more!

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The Kale Pesto Naan Pizza I shared last week has been sorta popular. So, I thought I’d share just how easy it is to make the sauce.

It takes 5 minutes. You will need a food processor, though. Well, I guess you could use a mortar and pestle? But I don’t have one of those and can’t say how that would turn out.

How to make kale pesto

I snapped some quick photos with my phone when I was making it last Saturday. Here are the steps:

Toast some walnuts. Simply add the walnuts to a dry skillet and heat until they are toasted on each side. There’s more than you’ll need here but I like to toast extra nuts and use them in oatmeal, pasta, and salads later in the week.

Gather all of the ingredients. I used baby kale to keep life simple. I got this 6-ounce package at Kroger for just $2. It’s already washed and ready to go.

Also, I like that baby kale has a milder flavor than the standard curly kale. Lacinato would also be delicious in this dish. I like my pesto nice and garlicky, so I used about four cloves of garlic.

Pulse everything except the extra virgin olive oil.

Once the mixture is chopped, stream the olive oil in to make the sauce. And prepare to fall in love.

Ideas to use pesto

Try this pesto on pizza or in these ways:

• Toss it on warm chickpeas or white beans for a quick warm bean salad.
• Spread it onto crusty whole grain bread for a delicious toast!
• Drizzle it over scrambled eggs or an omelet.
• Add it to pasta with a few toasted walnuts or your favorite lean protein like chicken.
• Toss it with zoodles for my No-Cook Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad!

What greens can I use for pesto?

I love using a variety of greens for pesto. You can use kale, spinach, arugula, or any combination of those. Traditional pesto uses basil so feel free to keep it easy with that – especially in the summer when basil is great.

Here’s my super simple recipe for kale walnut pesto to use on all the things!

If you came here looking for a salad, make my Kale & Quinoa Superfood Salad!

Print Recipe

Kale Walnut Pesto

This kale pesto with walnuts and parmesan is easy to make and tasty addition to many different dishes!

Prep Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: kale recipes, pesto recipe

Servings: 12

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Marisa Moore

Ingredients

• 4 cups baby kale
• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• pinch kosher salt

Instructions

• Pulse the kale, walnuts, garlic, and parmesan in a food processor until well chopped. With the food processor running on low, add the olive oil until well blended and smooth. 
• Store leftover kale pesto in a sealed jar for up to a week. 

Notes

Try these ideas to enjoy pesto throughout the week:

• Toss it on warm chickpeas or white beans for a quick warm bean salad.
• Spread it onto crusty whole grain bread for a delicious toast!
• Drizzle it over scrambled eggs or an omelet.
• Add it to pasta with a few toasted walnuts or your favorite lean protein like chicken.
• Toss it with zoodles for my No-Cook Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad!

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcal

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