Homemade kale pesto is an easy, healthy, gluten free recipe, made with 7 simple ingredients. It’s perfect for tossing on pasta, pizza or grilled chicken!

Kale pesto in white bowl with copper spoon in the bowl

I love pesto!

I love it so much that I’ve made 8 different varieties of pesto on the blog!

  1. Basil Pesto
  2. Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
  3. Spinach Pesto
  4. Vegan Pesto
  5. Cilantro Lime Pesto
  6. Paleo Walnut Sage Pesto
  7. Arugula Blue Cheese Pesto
  8. Kale Pesto

One of my favorite things about pesto is it’s versatility. You can easily toss it on a pizza, pasta or eggs. Add it to a sandwich, grilled chicken or a salad.

Toss it in risotto or spread it on baked salmon. The options really are endless!

My other favorite thing about pesto is how easy it is to make. Toss all of the ingredients in a food processor and you’ve got delicious homemade pesto in just 5 minutes!

This kale pesto is not only easy, delicious and versatile, it’s also packed with health benefits! Kale helps with cancer prevention, lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 15% of the daily requirement of calcium. It also contains 15% vitamin B6, 40% magnesium, 180% vitamin A, 200% vitamin C and 1,020% vitamin K.

It is also a good source of five minerals, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

This recipe has 4 cups of kale in it. That’s a lot of vitamins!

Table of contents

Kale pesto in white bowl with copper spoon

How to make it

Add chopped green kale, garlic and cashews to a food processor. Pulse for 30 seconds. Add olive oil, water, salt and pepper. Blend until all of the ingredients have been incorporated.

Add parmesan cheese and pulse for 5-10 seconds.

Presto! You have pesto!

How long does it last?

Kale pesto will last in a sealed container, such as a mason jar, in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Is it good for you?

As I mentioned before, kale has many health benefits, but so do the other ingredients in this kale pesto recipe.

Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and a great source of antioxidants. It helps with inflammation and to protect against heart disease.

Garlic is highly nutritious, yet contains very few calories. It helps improve cholesterol levels and can also reduce blood pressure.

Cashews contain high levels of iron, magnesium, zinc, copper,  phosphorus and manganese. They also contain healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which promote healthy levels of good cholesterol.

This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of pesto. Each 1/2 cup of pesto contains 179.6% vitamin A, 132.4% vitamin C, 24.8% calcium and 13.2% iron.

This kale pesto is a healthy sauce that’s good for you when served as part of a balanced diet.

Kale pesto in copper spoon, coming out of bowl of pesto

Ways to use it

As I mentioned earlier in the post, kale pesto can be used in a number of different ways.

Try it out in these delicious recipes:

This kale pesto recipe inspired one of the most popular recipes on the blog, Kale Pesto Spaghetti with Goat Cheese. You can easily make the pesto and this spaghetti recipe, all in under 30 minutes!

Pesto spaghetti wrapped around a copper fork, held over a plate of pesto spaghetti with crumbled goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes

Made this kale pesto recipe and loved it? Rate it 5 stars below! ↓

Kale pesto in white bowl with copper spoon
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Kale Pesto

Homemade kale pesto is an easy, healthy, gluten free recipe, made with 7 simple ingredients, perfect for tossing on pasta, pizza or grilled chicken!
Servings: 12 oz
Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 4 cups curly green kale, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Add the kale, garlic and cashews to a blender or food processor.
  • Blend for 30 seconds.
  • Add the salt, pepper, olive oil and water.
  • Blend until all ingredients have been incorporated (30-60 seconds).
  • Add the parmesan cheese and pulse for 5-10 seconds.
  • Serve with pizza, pasta or your favorite dish.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 115kcal (6%)Carbohydrates 3g (1%)Protein 2g (4%)Fat 10g (15%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Cholesterol 1mgSodium 139mg (6%)Potassium 133mg (4%)Vitamin A 2245mg (45%)Vitamin C 27.3mg (33%)Calcium 62mg (6%)Iron 0.6mg (3%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!

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