Description
A delightful kale pesto pasta salad that’s perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks, combining vibrant greens with hearty pasta.
Ingredients
- Pasta (your choice! Penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)
- Fresh Kale (about 4 cups, chopped)
- Garlic (3 cloves)
- Nuts (1/4 cup, pine nuts or walnuts)
- Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup, grated)
- Olive Oil (1/3 cup)
- Lemon Juice (from 1 lemon)
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook your pasta by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in your pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Prepare the kale pesto by combining chopped kale, garlic, nuts, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice in a food processor and pulsing until it starts to blend.
- Incorporate olive oil by drizzling it in while the processor is running until smooth, adjusting with reserved pasta water if too thick.
- Combine the warm pasta with the kale pesto in a large bowl, mixing until the pasta is coated.
- Chill it for about 30 minutes for a refreshing cold dish, or serve immediately.
- Garnish before serving with grated Parmesan, olive oil, and fresh pepper.
Notes
For a vegan option, replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: pasta salad, kale, pesto, vegetarian, easy recipes