Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta

Name: Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: World
Ingredients: Kale 1 bunch; Almonds ½ cup; Garlic 2 cloves; Red pepper flakes 1 tsp; Olive oil ⅔ cup; Parmesan cheese 1 ½ oz; Pasta 1 lb; Salt; Black pepper

healthy pesto pasta

Share
Like 4
20m
Serves 6
Easy
(1)

Ingredients

	1 bunch Kale large bunch, rinsed, with stems and ribs removed
	½ cup Almonds blanched
	2 cloves Garlic roughly minced
	1 tsp Red pepper flakes
	⅔ cup Olive oil extra-virgin
	1 ½ oz Parmesan cheese grated, about 1/2 cup
	1 lb Pasta any shape
	Salt to taste
	Black pepper fresh ground, to taste

Nutritional information

477

calories

31.4g

fat

39.8g

carbohydrates

12,5g

protein

52mg

cholesterol

115mg

sodium

Ingredients

1 bunch Kale
large bunch, rinsed, with stems and ribs removed
½ cup Almonds
blanched
2 cloves Garlic
roughly minced
1 tsp Red pepper flakes
⅔ cup Olive oil
extra-virgin
1 ½ oz Parmesan cheese
grated, about 1/2 cup
1 lb Pasta
any shape
Salt
to taste
Black pepper
fresh ground, to taste

Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta

Craving a big hot bowl of pasta? Give this delicious Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta recipe a try! It’s super easy to make and comes together in minutes. I have to admit, this kale almond pesto is one of my favorite sauce recipes, especially on those cold winter nights. I make large batches of this pesto and store them in the freezer. It’s a fast and convenient ingredient to have on hand for frenetic weeknights when you need a healthy meal in a snap.

My favorite cut of pasta for this recipe is spaghetti, but you can use whatever cut of pasta your family enjoys. To freeze this pesto, leave out the cheese. Add spoonfuls of the pesto to ice cube trays and place them in the freezer. Once frozen solid, store in resealable, freezer-safe plastic bags for up to 1 month.

To make this Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta, you will need the following ingredients:

Steps to make Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta

1	Cook kale	5
In a pot of salted boiling water, add 1 large bunch of kale and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze the kale dry
2	Toast almonds	3
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast ½ cup almonds, shaking frequently, until the nuts are fragrant and browned. Be careful not to burn the nuts.
3	Make pesto	2
In a food processor, combine the cooked kale, toasted almonds, 2 roughly minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Pulse a few times. With the processor running, slowly stream in ⅔ cup olive oil. Once all the oil is added, check the consistency of the pesto. If you like to have some texture, leave it as is. And if you prefer your pesto smoother, pulse a few more times.
4	Add cheese	2
Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in 1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
5	Cook pasta	10
Cook 1 pound pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions. Reserve some cooking water.
6	Finish and serve
Stir the kale pesto into the pasta and add the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce out if needed. Serve with extra cheese on top.

This Kale and Almond Pesto Pasta is packed with flavor and healthy greens. Give this recipe a go, and let us know if you love it, too, in the comments below.

Lilly Mathuse

Lilly is an enthusiastic and cheerful young mom. She knows as well as any parent that children can be really picky when it comes to food. And she’s had plenty of experience trying to cook meals that are both tasty and nutritious, and able to satisfy the tastes of a fussy kid right away! To save you some precious time, Lilly's going to share with you all the tricks she learned the hard way, so you don’t have to! She has a wealth of recipes for quick and easy meals for kids and families on a budget.