This easy Kale Walnut Pesto transforms nutrient-rich kale into a savory sauce without basil – and it’s ready in less than 10 minutes!
Kale Pesto is an amazing-tasting, nutritious alternative to traditional pesto that’s perfect on pasta, stirred into soup, served up with eggs, on sandwiches … this versatile kale and walnut pesto is a fave in our house!
I love to make this kale and walnut pesto all winter long, when the fresh basil for more traditional pesto isn’t as available.
The Story Behind the Recipe
I originally shared the recipe for this Kale Walnut Pesto all the back in 2012, when I tossed it with bow-tie pasta and cherry tomatoes for an easy pasta dish.
But I love this kale pesto recipe so much, I thought I should share it all on its own! I love to add a dollop to vegetarian minestron soup or pasta e fagiole to add even more flavor, or toss it with pasta or gnocchi. It’s great on pizza, avocado toast, grilled cheese, grilled veggie sandwiches, and so much more.
Basically, this is a super versatile pesto to keep in your fridge to level up just about everything!
So it deserved a little limelight of its own.
Why You’ll Love Walnut & Kale Pesto
- Superfood nutrition! With all the vitamins that kale brings to the table (source) + omega-3s and more nutrients thanks to the walnuts (source), this kale walnut pesto is as healthy as it is delicious.
- Versatile! Put it on pasta, gnocchi, stir it into soup, add it to sandwiches, top scrambled eggs, drizzle over roasted veggies … just keep a jar of this walnut kale pesto in your fridge to elevate savory dishes any time you want.
- Economical – Kale is less expensive than basil, so it can save you a buck or two too.
Kale Pesto Recipe Ingredients
- Walnuts – Plain walnuts that you’ll toast up for optimal flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves
- Kale – Any kind works! Curly, tuscan, you name it.
- Parmesan cheese – For that classic pesto flavor.
- Olive oil – Grab your favorite extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt & pepper
Adaptations/Variations
- Add a squeeze of lemon for a punch of zippy bright flavor.
- If you have it, throw in some fresh herbs for more flavor. A little bit of basil, some parsley, a few thyme leaves … all delicious!
- Vegan Option: Omit the parm and add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast or more, to taste. You’ll probably need a bit more salt and a squeeze of lemon goes a long way!
How to Make Kale Walnut Pesto
- First, toast your walnuts. In a saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Pulse the garlic in a food processor or high speed blender until it’s finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top/scraping down to press the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
- With the food processor or blender running on low, stream in the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. That’s it!
Jump to recipe for the full, printable instructions & directions
Tip for Success
- When roasting nuts, you want to stop RIGHT before they get browned and toasty. Why? Because even off heat, they’ll continue toasting for a bit. So err on the side of less toasting vs. more.
I hope you love this Kale Walnut Pesto as much as we do! It’s versatile, easy, and a nutritional flavor powerhouse!
Kale Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup walnuts (raw; whole is fine but chopped work too)
- 2 medium garlic cloves (chopped)
- 3 cups kale (any kind; roughly chopped)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (+ more to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (+ more to taste)
Instructions
- In a medium saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Pulse the garlic in a food processor or high-speed blender until finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top to press/scrape the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
- With the food processor running on low, pour the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
- Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Store in an airtight bowl or jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can also freeze this pesto for up to 3 months.
Hi! I’m Karen – I’m a real person with real recipes. No A.I. here! Since 2009, every recipe on Kitchen Treaty is thoroughly tested and loved before I hit “publish.” I’m a home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m a vegetarian married to a carnivore, and my goal is to coexist deliciously.
