Fancy a quick and healthy vegetarian meal? This kale pesto pasta is the perfect choice! The creamy pesto, made from kale, roasted pine nuts, and Pecorino cheese, gives this dish a lot of flavor. The kale pasta pesto is on the table within 30 minutes. It's ideal for weekdays and tasty enough for a more extensive dinner.
Spaghetti with Kale Pesto
I decided to make a delicious pesto pasta for dinner, but my basil plant was no longer usable. This is not surprising, of course, because basil loves warmth. So, I looked for an alternative in my fridge and decided to use my bag of kale.
Kale is a real winter vegetable full of vitamins. Making pesto really brings out the taste of kale. Together with the spaghetti, sun-dried tomatoes, and Pecorino, you get a delicious, quick meal that you will definitely make more often.
PS Do you like this? Then also look at my pasta recipes page with the tastiest pasta, such as a super-fast macaroni, kale with sausage lasagna, and penne with zucchini and walnuts.
Kale Pesto Pasta
And then the pasta. Due to the strong taste of the kale pesto, the pasta, in this case, the spaghetti needs almost nothing else. Some slices of sun-dried tomato for a slightly sweet accent, crunchy pine nuts, and some grated Parmesan cheese. To top it off. A quick meal!
What do you require?
- Olive oil: use extra virgin olive oil with a fruity flavor.
- Kale: A natural superfood full of vitamins. Choose fresh kale that you cut into thin strips. Do you only have frozen kale? That is no problem. Let it drain first so that the pesto does not become too watery. Instead of kale, you can use 10 cups (300 grams) of spinach or 9 cups (200 grams) of cavolo nero.
- Garlic: Gives a delicious flavor to the pesto.
- Pine Nuts: Roast them in a dry pan for a crunchy bite and nutty flavor.
- Pecorino: For a full, spicy flavor in the pesto. If desired, replace it with old Parmesan or Grana Padano.
- Pasta: This long pasta type absorbs the pesto well, but you can also use other types of pasta, such as tagliatelle or fusilli.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: They give the dish a nice, sweet, savory twist.
Preparation
- Add the garlic to the olive oil in a skillet. Stir-fry the garlic for about 30 seconds until it starts to smell. Then, add the kale and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the water and stew the kale for about 5 minutes until done. The kale will shrink considerably.
- Put the stewed kale, old cheese, roasted pine nuts, and the rest of the olive oil in a blender.
- Pulse until you get a creamy pesto. If the pesto is too thick, you can add a little more olive oil.
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Make sure the pasta is al dente so that it remains firm when mixed with the pesto. Drain the spaghetti and put it back in the pan. Mix the kale pesto through the spaghetti, then add the sun-dried tomatoes and roasted pine nuts. Shave Parmesan cheese over it and serve immediately.
This is tasty with a (homemade) baguette and an orange and blue cheese salad!
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 Recipe
VIDEO
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
Kale Pesto
- 10 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or squeeze
- ½ pound kale, sliced thinly
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted in a dry pan
- 3 oz. Pecorino cheese, grated
- 1 pound pasta, any sort will do. I used spaghetti
Serving Pasta
- 10 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 2 oz. Pecorino cheese, grated
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Make the pesto
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a pan and add the garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.10 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the kale and fry for 2 minutes.½ pound kale
- Pour in ½ cup water and stew the kale for 5 minutes until done.½ cup water
- Place the stewed kale, cheese, toasted pine nuts, and olive oil in a blender. Pulse until the pesto is creamy. Add extra olive oil if the pesto is too thick.¼ cup pine nuts, 3 oz. Pecorino cheese
Serving
- Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions. Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pan.1 pound pasta
- Mix the kale pesto through the spaghetti. Add the strips of sun-dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.10 sun-dried tomatoes, 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- Grate cheese over the pasta and serve immediately.2 oz. Pecorino cheese
Notes
- Refrigerator: Leftover spaghetti with Kale Pesto can be stored in an airtight container for two days.
- Freezer: You can freeze this kale pasta pesto in a container or bag for up to 2 months. Then, let it defrost in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Put a pan on the stove and add the pasta to the pan with an extra dash of olive oil. While stirring, heat the pasta on low heat. You can also reheat it in the oven. Put the pesto pasta in a baking dish, sprinkle with olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C).
Nutrition
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