This basil kale pesto with walnuts is an easy sauce recipe that will add extra healthy greens and lots of flavor to any dish from pasta to soups.
Yes, you can make pesto with kale! We'll take everything you love about pesto including basil and parmesan cheese, with the fun twist of adding kale and swapping pine nuts with walnuts.
And so easy to make! Just zip the ingredients in the food processor and you're done. It's ready in 15 minutes and will keep in your refrigerator for a while, so make a big batch because everyone will love it!
Try this basil kale pesto recipe when you want to amp up the greens in a dish like Pesto Pasta without adding more volume to it.
Can't get enough pesto? Try my classic basil pesto or sage pesto recipes!
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Kale walnut pesto ingredients
My basil and kale walnut pesto recipe only has 7 ingredients, two of them are pantry staples. You don't need a lot of ingredients to have a lot of great flavor!
- Kale: You can use any kind of kale for this pesto recipe. I've used Siberian kale, curly kale, and Tuscan kale to make it.
- Fresh basil: Add a bit of fresh basil to kale pesto to keep the flavor bright and fresh.
- Grated parmesan cheese: Please use real parmesan cheese (parmigiano reggiano) for this recipe. The flavor is much better than what you get in that canister, and it makes all the difference.
- Garlic: You can adjust the amount of garlic to your taste level. Just remember it is raw so it will have a bright and pungent flavor!
- Chopped walnuts: Walnuts are an inexpensive option for making pesto. They give you the creamy texture similar to pine nuts at a fraction of the price.
- Kosher salt and extra virgin olive oil: The amount of these two may vary slightly, depending on your taste and whether or not you cook the kale.
How to make basil kale pesto with walnuts
Step 1: Chop the kale and grate the cheese
Use a good chef's knife to chop the kale. Use a box grater to grate the cheese.
Step 2: Toast the walnuts
Place the chopped walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat and toast gently until fragrant.
Step 3: Wilt the kale (or not)
At this point, you can add the kale to a large skillet over medium heat and quickly wilt it. You could also make the pesto with raw kale.
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If you choose to cook it, once it's done, wrap it in a kitchen towel and wring out the water.
Pro Tip
You can make kale walnut pesto with raw kale or cooked kale. Since kale has a hearty texture, cooking it for just a couple of minutes can make the final product a little smoother. Cooking the kale will also intensify the bright green color and reduce any bitterness.
Step 4: Finish the kale pesto sauce in the food processor
Add the kale, toasted walnuts, basil, and ยผ cup grated parmesan to a food processor with a pinch of kosher salt. Use a microplane grater to grate the garlic directly into the food processor.
Turn the food processor on and drizzle the ยผ cup extra virgin olive oil into the mixture, and blend until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Expert tips
- Use raw or cooked kale: Kale walnut pesto made with raw kale can sometimes be slightly bitter. Cooking the kale lightly, just until it wilts can take some of the bitterness out. So if you plan to use your kale pesto in recipes like sandwiches as a spread, or in cold appetizers where it won't get warmed up, you may want to consider this.
- Grate your own cheese: I always prefer to grate my own cheese! It will have a much deeper, richer flavor if you grate it yourself and since we only have a few ingredients in this kale pesto sauce recipe, you want them all to shine and taste their best.
- Don't overdo it with the food processor: The heat from the blade can discolor both the basil and the kale in your pesto sauce so starting with chopped walnuts is key to reducing the amount of time it needs to be running. Work quickly and only have it on as long as needed.
How to use kale pesto
You can use kale pesto with walnuts in any recipe where you would use classic basil pesto. It's a great way to add another green vegetable into something that you're already making!
- Try kale pesto in soups! It would taste great on top of Soupe au Pistou.
- Of course it's great in pasta recipes! Substitute it for basil pesto in this recipe for Gnocchi with Peas and Pesto, or stir it into creamy zucchini pasta.
- Use kale pesto with walnuts on sandwiches: This is a delicious twist. Spread it on eggplant sandwiches or serve with turkey burgers.
- Add some to vegetable side dishes: Try it with roasted cauliflower or pan fried brussels sprouts.
- Add to salad dressings: Whisk a spoonful into this basil vinaigrette!
Variations
- Use different kinds of kale: Like I said, you can use any type of kale. Try curly kale or Tuscan kale.
- Swap out the cheese: Parmesan cheese is a classic choice for pesto, but since we're making a non-traditional one, why not use another aged cheese like pecorino romano or grana padano?
- Try different nuts: Walnuts make this basil kale pesto creamy, and there are other choices besides pine nuts that do this too. Try almonds, cashews, or even hazelnuts. Use what you have!
- Change up the herbs: Basil and kale pesto is a no-brainer, but many soft herbs like tarragon, parsley and cilantro will amp up the fresh flavor.
FAQs
Store basil kale pesto sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container with a layer of olive oil on top to preserve the green color. It will keep for at least 5 days.
Yes, you can freeze kale pesto - or any kind of pesto - for 6 months or more. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer to a zip top bag, so you can just pop a cube or two into soups and sauces all year long. Get your green on and save it for a rainy day.
Yes! Just omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese or nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan.
More kale recipes
- A Massaged Kale Salad is a great way to start any meal.
- Kale Pizza with Bacon and Caramelized Onions is another way to use kale and makes comfort food seem slightly healthy?
- Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale is an easy, warming, one pot meal.
This basil kale pesto with walnuts recipe is simple, quick, and versatile!
- Made with just a handful of ingredients.
- Ready in 15 minutes or less!
- Endless ingredient swaps: use different cheeses, nuts or herbs.
- Kale pesto sauce is gluten free and vegetarian. It can easily be made vegan.
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Recipe
Kale Pesto with Walnuts Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 4-5 cups kale roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil lightly packed
- 1-2 cloves garlic depending upon your taste
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Roughly chop the kale. Use a box grater to grate the cheese.
- Place the walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat and toast gently until fragrant.
- Add the kale, toasted walnuts, basil, and parmesan to a food processor with a pinch of kosher salt. Use a microplane grater to grate the garlic directly into the food processor. Turn the food processor on and begin to drizzle the olive oil into the mixture and blend until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Notes
- Heat from the blade of the food processor can discolor the basil and kale in your pesto so don't leave it running too long.
- Pesto made with raw kale can be a little bitter, and walnuts will increase this factor, so consider cooking the kale for a couple of minutes to avoid that.
- Kale walnut pesto can be frozen for up to 6 months. Freeze in ice cube trays for small servings that you can easily pop into sauces or soups.
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