Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 30g / 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
- 100g / 2 cups tightly packed chopped kale (destemmed)
- 45g / 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 80 ml / 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the kale: Destem the kale and roughly chop it. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the kale and cook for 2 minutes. Immediately transfer the kale into cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and squeeze out any excess water to prevent the pesto from becoming watery.
- Toast the pine nuts: Heat a dry pan over low to medium heat, then add the pine nuts. Toast them for about a minute, tossing frequently to ensure even browning. Remove from heat as soon as they turn lightly golden to avoid burning.
- Process pine nuts and garlic: Place the toasted pine nuts and garlic clove into a food processor. Pulse a few times until they break down into smaller pieces.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add the blanched kale, fresh basil, nutritional yeast (or vegan parmesan), lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and a pinch of black pepper to the food processor. Blitz everything together until well combined and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more olive oil to loosen the pesto to your desired consistency.
- Season and serve: Taste the pesto and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with pasta, bread, or as a flavorful sauce or dip.
Notes
- Blanching the kale before blending removes bitterness and softens the leaves, making for a smoother pesto.
- Toast pine nuts carefully on low heat to avoid burning, which can impart bitterness.
- You can substitute nutritional yeast with vegan parmesan or regular parmesan if not vegan.
- Adjust the olive oil quantity to get your preferred pesto thickness.
- Store leftover pesto in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil on top to preserve freshness in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
