Vegan Kale and Basil Pesto

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Jolinda Hackett
Updated 07/31/19
Homemade kale pesto

Westend61/Getty Images
  • Total: 10 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 4-5 cups (16-20 servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
79 Calories
6g Fat
6g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4-5 cups (16-20 servings)
Amount per serving
Calories 79
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 21mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 2g
Calcium 99mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sneak a bit of healthy green kale into your pesto by using a half basil and half kale mix. You'll likely not even notice the difference. There are very few wrong ways to make pesto, so adjust the ingredients to your liking, and make your kale pesto as chunky or as smooth as you like.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup kale (if you have leftover steamed kale, you can also use that, but fresh is better)
  • 1 cup basil leaves (fresh)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (or vegan Parmesan cheese substitute)
  • 2/3 cup nuts (pine nuts are traditional, but walnut and cashew nuts are nice for variety)
  • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh is always best)
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine the kale, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and nuts, pulsing just until coarsely chopped.

  2. Slowly add olive oil, lemon juice and plenty of salt and pepper, blending just until desired consistency is reached.

  3. For a thinner, saucier pesto, add more olive oil or other liquid.

Not sure what to do with your kale pesto, now that you've got it? Try using it to make pesto and breadcrumb stuffed tomatoes.

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