This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times (what does that saying really mean by the way?), if there’s a food item I suggest every mom always keep in her fridge for a quick dinner fix, it’s pesto. Pesto is your best friend during those times when it’s late in the day and you’re officially too brain dead to make dinner — let alone think about what it should be. I should know, because I feel that way weekly.
I’ve rarely met a kid who doesn’t enjoy pesto. Maybe it’s the unmistakable taste of Parmesan cheese which makes it so addictive for them. Mixed into rice or pasta, as part of an Egg Pesto Melt, whipped up in an omelette (as Chloe has been asking for all this week), or using a good thick spread of it on chicken or fish before baking, pesto is a miracle food which makes most any food taste better.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ensure your mealtimes will be super easy from now on. Just make a big batch of this Kale Pesto recipe, put some in the fridge, and then freeze the rest in small individual containers so you will always have some on hand when you need it. And trust me, once your kids taste this, you’re going to need some on hand!
Kale Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed kale leaves
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts*
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Serve over rice, pasta or as a sandwich spread.
- Note: If you don’t have toasted walnuts, you can easily make them. Just spread roughly chopped walnuts on a baking sheet and pop in a 400°F oven for five minutes.
I have made basil pesto – a good idea to freeze is to do it in ice cube trays, then when frozen, pop out and into a freezer bag!
Had some kale in the fridge so I made it last night–loved it! My 6-yr-old, who also loved it, kindly reminded me that I didn’t need to eat so quickly….. it was that delicious!
Wow ! So excited to try this ! My daughter loves the spinach pesto ( hubby too ) I make it every Sunday for the week! Can’t wait to add this to the fridge !
Yes! This will keep in the fridge for about 5-7 days!
just wondering if this can be refridgerated if a double batch is made?
I think that really comes with practice! Sometimes you can sort of do two things at once, like if something needs to be steamed or boiled you can start that while you’re chopping everything. 🙂 Thank you for your kind words!
I love your blog and your new cookbook! I have a 14-month-old and love that your recipes are all healthy, tasty,. and easy. Last night I made your Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Lemons, Cherry Tomatoes, and Olives and added some whole wheat past with your Broccoli pesto on the side. She loved it (as did my husband), so I will definitely be trying this recipe. One thing I am finding, though, is that it is taking me quite a bit longer to prep the ingredients than is stated in the recipes. For example, I made your Sesame Udon Noodles for dinner tonight and it took me 20 minutes (instead of 2) to prep all of the ingredients. Maybe I’m just slow at chopping veggies and measuring stuff. Do you have any tips or tricks for making the prep faster and more efficient? Thanks!
Nope! Add it raw!
Should i blanch the kale first??
Spinach and collard greens are both great substitutes for kale!
Hi..
This is from singapore. Been browsing your recipes alot.. can I substitute kale with any other vegetables?
So yummy! I actually made it with the go raw sprouted plain punpkin and sunflower sees mix! I will deff be making this again!
I am just now standing in the kitchen waiting for the pasta to cook dipping tortilla chips into this pesto and loving it! I know what I’ll be snacking on during nap time tomorrow (nearly guilt-free)!
My usual basil pesto recipe is free from parmesan (due to dairy issues in the family). I’ve always used about a tablespoon of white miso paste per 2 1/2 cups of basil. No one has ever missed the cheese. I haven’t played with the ratios in this (or other) pesto recipe yet, but the nice thing about pesto is that you can keep adding little bits and mixing until you find a nice balance. (Also, I don’t usually add salt other than what is in the miso, but that’s me.)
The parmesan adds tons of flavor. You can absolutely leave it out, it will just be a different flavor. If you can find nutritional yeast that tastes just like parmesan cheese! You could use that for the flavor.
I’m allergic to milk (and thus the parmesan). Would it work to make itwithout the parmesan? I could eat everything else.