This Kale Pesto Pasta is made with just kale. Without the basil, I find it’s a more cost-effective way to make pesto. It’s also one that you can enjoy all year round, when basil isn’t as plentiful in the supermarket (or garden).
An Easy and Inexpensive Kale Pesto
Pesto is an expensive proposition. Sure, there are times during the summer when basil might be plentiful in your back gardens or at the farmer’s market.
Even so, it’s quite an expensive endeavor when you factor in the pine nuts, heavy usage of extra-virgin olive oil, and the parmesan cheese at $20/pound.
Then there’s the basil. Unless you grow it yourself, it can also be quite pricey to buy the volume of basil you need to make a good amount of pesto. Kale, however, you can buy in abundance! It makes a great-tasting pesto that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
Basil Is Expensive!
These days, the affordability of basil has been improving—but only slightly! For example, I’ve been thrilled to see some grocery stores graduating from those anemic basil bundles. You know the ones I’m talking about—with the sad dirt clod that can’t stand a chance of surviving in a pot after you’ve stripped it of its leaves to garnish your pasta.
These days, I’m more likely to buy a packed box of basil, similar to pre-washed salad greens. It’s a far more rewarding way to buy basil and you get much more of it too!
A Great Way to Use Up Your Kale
I love kale, but sometimes I buy a bag at the top of the week, and by the end of the week, I have zero desire to actually eat said kale.
This kale pesto is a great way to transform it into an irresistible dish and also make it freezer-friendly. The recipe uses 10 cups. That’s quite a bit of kale!
I still like to use pine nuts for this recipe, but if you’re worried about the cost there, you can substitute most any other nut that you enjoy (e.g., walnuts, pecans, almonds).
Kale pesto can be used however you would use regular pesto. I think it’s great with this pasta, but you can also serve it up with some grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon, on a tomato mozzarella sandwich, on pizza or bruschetta, or in a pasta salad. It may just become your new favorite use for kale!
Make-Ahead Instructions and Storage
Make this pesto ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for 4-5 days, as long as you keep a layer of olive oil on top of it.
Any longer than that, and I would recommend freezing it in an airtight container. (Again, with that layer of oil on top to preserve its green color.)
Portion it out into pint or half-pint containers—I save these from takeout—so you can just take the whole thing and mix it straight into a pound of cooked pasta.
Kale Pesto Recipe Instructions
Set a large pot of salt water to boil on the stove for the pasta.
To the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the kale. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to make this in multiple batches or add the kale in a handful at a time.
With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube. The pesto should come together relatively quickly, but let the food processor run for 1-2 minutes to make sure everything is thoroughly pulverized.
By now, your water should be boiling. Cook your pasta according to the package instructions. When the cooking time is almost complete, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water in a heatproof measuring cup.
Drain the pasta, and transfer to a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Add half of the pesto. (You’ll have the remaining half of the pesto—about 1 1/4 cups left to freeze for another day.)
Stir the pesto into the pasta, adding a little pasta water as you go to make a silky, “creamy” sauce.
Sprinkle the pasta with grated parmesan and some Aleppo chili flakes. You can also top with some zest from that lemon you juiced for the pesto, if desired.
Serve!
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Recipe
Kale Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound mezzi rigatoni (or any other short cut pasta you like)
- 8 cloves garlic (peeled, ends trimmed)
- ¼ cup pine nuts (or walnuts)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon (if you'd like it extra lemony, use the whole lemon)
- 1¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 10 packed cups curly kale (about 8-9 ounces/225-250 g)
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Red pepper flakes (I use aleppo chili flakes; to taste)
Instructions
- Set a large pot of salt water to boil on the stove for the pasta.
- To the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and the kale. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to make this in multiple batches or add the kale in a handful at a time.
- With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube. The pesto should come together relatively quickly, but let the food processor run for 1-2 minutes to make sure everything is thoroughly pulverized.
- By now, your water should be boiling. Cook your pasta according to the package instructions. When the cooking time is almost complete, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water in a heatproof measuring cup. Drain the pasta, and transfer to a large skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add half of the pesto (you'll have the remainder to freeze for another day!). Stir the pesto into the pasta, adding a little pasta water as you go to make a silky, “creamy” sauce.
- Sprinkle the pasta with grated parmesan and some Aleppo chili flakes. You can also top with some zest from that lemon you juiced for the pesto, if desired. Serve!
