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This vegan Tuscan kale pesto recipe is so good. A truly sensational seasonal kale pesto recipe that will become a staple in your kitchen!
I always thought of pesto as a summer dish, with aromatic basil as the star.
But, hey, I was wrong! There are plenty of incredible variations of this Italian dish.
And this Tuscan kale pesto is no exception!
It’s so good it’s now a weekly dish during autumn and winter time in my kitchen.
The first time I tried this Tuscan kale pesto I was in beautiful Florence. I was celebrating New Year’s Eve with my family in one of the most beautiful city on Earth…but here is the thing:
There is nothing in Florence quite impressive as the food you can taste in every corner.
We had so many amazing meals in the 3 days we spent there, but the thing I loved the most was a very simple Pasta al Pesto di Cavolo Nero.
Black kale (cavolo nero) is a staple in Tuscan cuisine. Which is probably why is also known as Tuscan kale.
I have to admit, it wasn’t an ingredient I used very often before this trip, but I am now a big fan.
This is why I love traveling so much:
You discover beautiful places, meet incredible people, and explore new flavors you didn’t know before. And these tastes become part of your everyday meals.
As soon as I got back home, I experimented with different recipe variations, and I came up with my own version, and I am proud to say it tastes as good, if not better than the kale pesto I had in Florence.
Plus this recipe is also vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!
You can, of course, add a bit of parmesan to the ingredients if you like. But I do love the simplicity of this recipe as it is.
How to make Tuscan kale pesto
There are only 6 ingredients, and this is all you need to make this special kale pesto:
- Tuscan kale (also known as black kale, or lacinato kale)
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic
- almonds
- water
- a pinch of salt
All you need to do is to remove the hard light green stems from the Tuscan kale, boil it to soften it for 3 to 5 minutes, then add it to a food processor or blender with the rest of the ingredients, and you are done.
Yes, it’s that simple!
How to meal prep this Tuscan kale pesto
This Tuscan kale pesto is perfect for meal prep.
You can prepare it in advance and either keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2-3 months.
Simply add it to a jar once blended, and store it away.
If you keep it in the refrigerator, once you are ready to eat it, warm it up in a pan, add 4-5 tablespoon of cooking water from the pasta pot to make it more creamy, and stir away.
If you decide to freeze it, remove it a few hours in advance and let it thaw at room temperature. Then warm it up and again add a bit of water to make it a bit less dense.
Tips, additions, and substitutions
Tuscan kale
Tuscan kale is also known as black kale or lacinato kale. It’s a milder version of kale but still has all the incredible benefits of cruciferous vegetables. You can substitute Tuscal kale with normal kale in this recipe, and it will still be delicious.
Extra virgin olive oil
I normally just add one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to this pesto. But you can add more if you like. Just remember that although extra-virgin olive oil has some benefits, it’s much healthier to reduce to amount of fat you eat, if they come from process food. And yes, olive oil counts as processed.
Garlic
Garlic gives a bit of a pungent taste to this pesto. Plus it can help to boost your immune system. But if you are not a fan, you can omit it entirely. Or opt for roasted garlic for a milder flavor.
Almonds
I use almonds in this recipe, but any other nut will work. I used successfully walnuts, cashew nuts, or pine nuts.
Other things you can add:
I love this pesto as it is, but if you want to add a bit more of a kick, you can add chili flakes, a tablespoon of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor, or even 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese if you are not vegan or dairy intolerant.
More quick and easy dinner recipes you’ll love:
Tuscan Kale Pesto (Black Kale Pesto)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the black kale pesto
- 4 cups Tuscan kale leaves (also known as black kale or lacinato kale)
- 1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ⅓ cup raw almonds
- ¼ cup water
For the black kale pesto pasta
- 12 oz bucatini pasta (or any other pasta of your choice)
Instructions
- Remove the hard stem from the Tuscan kale leaves and wash them under running water.
- Bring a pan full of salted water to the boil, and add the chopped Tuscan kale leaves without stems. Let them simmer for 3-5 minutes and drain.
- Place the kale, garlic, almonds, salt, and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the water a bit at the time until you reach a creamy consistency.
- Simply cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes or longer until cooked through (simply follow the cooking instruction), then drain. Save some of the cooking water to add to the pesto if it's still a bit dense.
- Stir the Tuscan kale pesto through the pasta, adding a bit of cooking water, to make it more creamy, if necessary.
- Enjoy!
- You can serve this kale pesto not only with pasta, but also with crackers, in sandwiches, salads etc.
Notes
Nutrition
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fin$savvy panda @ finsavvypanda.com says
Hey Sara!
I LOVE pesto sauce in general! I love them in sandwiches, chicken, pastas, etc. It is truly amazing! It’s actually one of my fave sauces!
And this black kale pesto pasta look delicious!!! Great job with this post, girl!
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thank you!!!
You need to try this! It’s a really good alternative for winter 🙂
Renee says
Looks seriously amazing!
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thank you 🙂
Laura @ The Mindful Mom Blographer says
I never thought of making pesto with kale, but it’s brilliant! We had a bumper crop of kale this year in our veggie garden, and I still have kale in the freezer! Will definitely be trying this!
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thank you Laura! I thought the same the first time I tried it. Pesto with kale? But it’s absolutely delicious.
Lindsey Coconides says
Hey Sara,
Can you do a tutorial for how you take your food photos?
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thanks, Lindsey. So happy you like our photos. I will think about creating a tutorial for that 🙂
becky says
It looks like I’m the first commenter to actually make this pesto. I think if you are a vegan this would be a nice addition and use of kale. This was my first time making a vegan pesto, first time using black kale and first time using almonds in pesto. SO……as a non-vegan I found it a little bland but it tasted better than I expected. I think if I was in the mood for pesto I’d stick with more traditional, but might try it again with walnuts or pine nuts to see if I like it better. Black kale seems like a nice mild kale and I would like to try other recipes that use it.
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thanks, Becky! I love kale as well. I am surprised you found it bland. You can add some nutritional yeast to give it a bit more flavor if you like, but I do prefer to keep it simple to taste the black kale.
Nadia says
Loved it! I didn’t find it bland at all and the taste of the black kale came through nicely.
Will do it again!
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thanks Nadia, glad you liked it 🙂
Angel says
This was absolutely amazing. I just made this for my dinner. I didn’t have black kale but I did have green kale. I really enjoyed it. Would definitely make it again.
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Fantastic! I am so happy you liked it Angel. I make this at least once a week as Dan and I love it so much!
Danny says
Oh wow! I just made this for dinner tonight and found it delicious 😋 so yummy!
Sara @ Gathering Dreams says
Thanks Danny! Glad you liked it! 🙂