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:
In a pot of salted boiling water, add 1 large bunch of kale and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze the kale dry
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.
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.
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.
Cook 1 pound pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions. Reserve some cooking water.
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.
It's a super healthy green pasta! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
