Who knew you could make pesto with kale?
Here’s a recipe shared by one of our fantastic customers at the Ballard Farmer’s Market. This kale pesto is great with or without cheese, and also as a veggie dip.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Unlike pesto made with basil, this delicious kale version doesn’t lose its bright-green color. It also has more micronutrients and protective phytonutrients.
Pesto
4 cups stemmed chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Experiment with a variety of kales to find your favorite flavor and texture. We here at Nash’s are harvesting lacinato kale and red Russian kale.
Pasta
1 lb fettuccine or pappardelle pasta
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Make the Pesto
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Fill large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Plunge kale into boiling water and cook 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer kale to ice bath. (The cold water allows the kale to keep its bright-green color.) After 3 minutes, drain kale in colander, then squeeze it firmly to press out excess water.
Put kale, remaining pesto ingredients, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor and puree until smooth. (Makes 1 cup.) Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. (Keeps up to 3 days.)
Prepare Pasta
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook until al dente, per package directions. Just before the pasta is done, remove 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and add it to the pesto. Add cheese and mix well.
Drain pasta and toss with pesto. Serve with extra cheese, if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
549 calories, 20 g protein, 63 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 25 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 717 mg sodium
We thank Prevention.com for this recipe.