Easy Kale Pesto Recipe with Walnuts & Parmesan
I first fell in love with kale pesto while living in Dublin. Each Saturday morning, we went to Kildrudery House and Gardens farm café for breakfast. And every Saturday, we ordered the same thing, scrambled eggs with kale pesto on country bread. Everything on the menu was made with fresh ingredients from their own farm and gardens, but there was no other dish quite like those scrambled eggs, and the secret was in the pesto.
After we moved back to the States, I missed that kale pesto flavor and tried different store-bought pestos. None of them tasted quite right. Some were too oily, others too sharp or too garlicky. So, like any other foodie, I started testing pesto recipes at home. After lots of trial and error, this homemade kale pesto came closest to what I remembered.
How To Make Kale Pesto
Kale gives a pesto recipe a deeper, more savory flavor than basil. It tastes earthy but not bitter, especially when blended with good olive oil, nuts, and cheese.
This pesto made with kale is now my go-to for pastas, chicken breasts, sandwiches, and everything in between.
That said, if kale isn’t your thing, you don’t have it on hand, or you’re just easing into it, you can easily swap in arugula, spinach, or classic basil. Arugula adds a peppery bite, spinach keeps things mild and smooth, and basil brings that familiar, traditional pesto flavor. No matter which greens you use, this recipe delivers a fresh, vibrant pesto taste.
Ingredients for Kale Pesto Recipe
Kale: Kale is the base of this kale pesto recipe, giving it a deeper, more savory flavor than traditional basil pesto. When blended with olive oil and cheese, kale becomes smooth and earthy without tasting bitter, making it a hearty and nutrient-rich choice for homemade pesto.
Garlic: Garlic adds the essential savory backbone to this homemade kale pesto, balancing the greens and nuts. Using fresh garlic gives the pesto a clean, aromatic flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
Nuts: Nuts provide richness and structure, helping create a creamy, well-balanced pesto sauce. I’ve tested this recipe with walnuts, pistachios, hemp seeds, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds, and each works great. Walnuts add warmth, pistachios bring a subtle sweetness, and sunflower seeds are a great nut-free option.
Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds saltiness and depth, tying all the flavors together in this kale pesto sauce. Finely grated Parmesan melts easily into the mixture, giving the pesto a smooth texture and a classic, savory finish.
Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor of this kale pesto recipe, cutting through the richness of the oil, nuts, and cheese. It also helps keep the pesto tasting fresh and vibrant, especially when stored or used for meal prep.
Extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste.
Prepare The Kale
Start with a fresh bunch of kale and remove the tough stems, as they can make the pesto gritty or bitter. Wash the curly kale leaves thoroughly and dry them well, excess water can thin the pesto and mute its flavor. Roughly chop the kale to help it blend more smoothly.
Toast The Nuts
Lightly toasting the walnuts brings out their natural oils and deepens their flavor. Add the walnuts, or alternatively pistachios, or sunflower seeds to a dry medium-sized skillet over medium heat and toast for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Remove your walnuts from the heat and let them cool slightly before blending.
Blend The Base Ingredients
Add the chopped kale, garlic, and toasted nuts to a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture is finely chopped but not fully smooth. This step helps evenly distribute the flavors before adding the liquid ingredients.
If using a blender, secure the lid and blend on low speed. With the blender running, add your olive oil very slowly until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides once or twice and push the ingredients toward the blades.
Add Olive Oil And Cheese
If using the food processor, slowly drizzle in olive oil until your kale pesto becomes smooth and creamy. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and continue blending until fully incorporated. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed to ensure an even texture.
Finish With Lemon Juice And Seasoning
Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to balance the richness of the oil and parmesan cheese, and brighten the flavor. Season the pesto mixture with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then pulse or blend one more time to combine. Adjust with more olive oil if needed.
Taste And Adjust
Taste the kale pesto and adjust as needed, more lemon for brightness, more cheese for saltiness, or an extra splash of olive oil for smoothness. The pesto should taste fresh, balanced, and vibrant.
Serve Or Store
Use the kale pesto immediately on pasta, sandwiches, or salads. We also love mixing this kale pesto with our egg salad, or use it as a dressing in our butternut squash salad.
Tips For Making Pesto with Kale
Make it ahead
You can prepare your kale pesto and keep it in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To keep it fresh and vibrant, smooth the top and add a thin layer of olive oil before sealing.
Soften the kale flavor
If you’re new to kale pesto or prefer a milder taste, use baby kale leaves and remove the stems completely. Thoroughly blending the kale with olive oil and cheese also helps mellow any bitterness.
Adjust the texture
For a thicker pesto, use less olive oil and pulse slowly; for a smoother, more pourable sauce, add olive oil a little at a time while blending until it reaches your preferred texture.
Add more lemon juice for brightness, and extra Parmesan for saltiness.
Kale Pesto Recipe Variations
Basil Pesto Recipe or Kale Basil Pesto
For a more classic pesto flavor, replace half or all of the kale with fresh basil. Basil softens the earthiness of the kale and adds that familiar, slightly sweet pesto taste while keeping the sauce bright and fresh.
Arugula Kale Pesto
Arugula adds a peppery flavor. You can substitute half the kale for arugula to balance, or use all arugula for a bolder, sharper pesto recipe.
vegan kale pesto
If you prefer a vegan kale pesto, skip the Parmesan cheese and add nutritional yeast.
Kale Pesto
This homemade kale pesto is made with garlic, nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. It’s perfect for pasta and sandwiches.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh kale leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup nuts (walnuts, pistachios, or sunflower seeds)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more as needed)
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Remove tough stems, wash thoroughly, dry completely, and roughly chop.
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the nuts for 2-4 minutes until fragrant. Let cool slightly.
- Add kale, toasted nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese to a food processor.
- Start blending on low speed and slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend briefly to combine. Adjust consistency with more olive oil if needed.
- Add more lemon for brightness or cheese for saltiness, if desired.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Add a thin layer of olive oil on top before sealing to help preserve freshness.
- For a milder flavor, substitute half the kale with basil or spinach.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
270Fat
27 gSat. Fat
5 gCarbs
5 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
4 gSugar
0 gProtein
5 gSodium
184 mgCholesterol
7 mgNutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate. Use your own calculations when needed.
