This delicious kale pesto ‘remix’ is packed with healthy kale, toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds. Perfect on pasta, even better on pizza!
Hi hi hi!
I am writing from the depths of a turkey coma. We had our {Canadian} Thanksgiving this past week-end! There was turkey. Sausage, cranberry and cornbread stuffing. More turkey. Raspberry Balsamic Cranberry Sauce.
And yes…three days later, a batch of turkey chili and some turkey tacos later and we are still. eating. turkey.
I needed a little turkey break…so we had this Kale Pesto with Sunflower Seeds and Pepitas on some pasta salad, to give ourselves a healthy turkey alternative.
For whatever reason, I always think of kale as a wintery ingredient…even though it is one of the few things I can actually grow in my garden!
When fall kicks in, the kale salads get-a-going. And that’s normally where it ends.
I thought this kale pesto would be a good way to kick us out of our kale rut.
It is an ever-so-slightly mellower pesto than you may be used to. The kale brings a mild sweetness, the pepitas and sunflower seeds bring a nuttiness and slight crunch. The kale pesto is rounded out with Parmesan, garlic and lemon juice…aka: the usual pesto suspects.
The texture here is pure pesto…creamy and delicious! It is impossible to believe there is an entire bunch of kale in there. So much healthy goodness, but it doesn’t taste ‘healthy’ at all!
We enjoyed our kale pesto as a dressing for a pasta salad, and as a tomato sauce substitute on our pizza…but the possibilities certainly don’t stop there.
Hmmm. I wonder how it would taste on turkey leftovers. I guess that will be the next turkey dish, some sort of turkey/veggie/pasta toss. And hopefully we will finally see the bottom of our turkey tupperware!
Pesto for the win!
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Kale Pesto with Sunflower Seeds and Pepitas
Ingredients
- One bunch of kale stems removed and rinsed {roughly 200g}
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4- 1/2 tsp salt {to taste}
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the kale, and simmer for one minute. Drain kale and run under cold water until cool. Leave in colander to drain while preparing other ingredients.
- Heat pepitas and sunflower seeds in a small pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until seeds are lightly browned and toasted.
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend. You will need to scrape the sides several times and continue blending.
Nutrition
Products used in this recipe:
Sandra
September 10, 2015 at 1:21 pmLooks delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Denise
September 10, 2015 at 8:36 pmHope you like it, Sandra! 🙂
viji
October 25, 2014 at 4:25 amWe had a post on our blog – apple pesto a while ago. I am excited to make it with kale and sunflower seeds next time, instead of basil and walnuts. Thank you so much!
http://www.handfulofrecipes.com/apple-pesto/
Denise
October 25, 2014 at 8:05 pmHi Viji! Hope you like the kale pesto! It is definitely different from a basil pesto, but I really enjoyed it. Your apple pesto sounds delicious 🙂
April @ Girl Gone Gourmet
October 22, 2014 at 4:50 pmI love kale pesto, but haven’t tried it with sunflower seeds – very interesting! Hope your turkey coma passes quickly! Holidays are great, but sometimes the holiday hangovers can be tough to get over 🙂
Harriet
October 20, 2014 at 7:00 amI would have never thought to make sunflower seeds into pesto but I’ll definitely give it a go now!
Denise
October 21, 2014 at 8:38 pmHope you like it, Harriet!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
October 19, 2014 at 6:19 pmI regularly make my own pesto but have never made a kale version before. Thanks for the awesome and delicious idea Denise, it’s definitely a recipe I will be taking to my kitchen!
Azu
October 19, 2014 at 5:17 pmWow, this kale pesto looks yummy! Pinned!
Denise
October 19, 2014 at 7:48 pmThanks, Azu!
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:28 pmThanks, Arpita! Hope you like it 🙂
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel
October 17, 2014 at 12:59 pmOooh, I love how unique this is! I have kale just starting to grow in my garden right now, so hopefully soon enough I will have more than I know what to do with! I also love the use of pepitas and sunflower seeds– that’s different!
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:32 pmKale is one of the only things I can’t kill…love that quality about it! 🙂 This recipe certainly uses up a huge bunch of it, if you find yourself swimming in it!
marcie
October 17, 2014 at 9:23 amI love pestos, Denise, and this one sounds extra incredible! I always think of kale as a winter-y green also, even though I can get it at farmer’s markets all the time. I love it, and can’t wait to try this! I think tossing some turkey into it is a phenomenal idea. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving and that you use up that turkey quick! 🙂
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:31 pmThank-you, Marcie! Kale has a sort of comforting quality, doesn’t it? Maybe that’s why I think of it as ‘wintery’.
Isadora
October 16, 2014 at 10:15 pmHappy Thanksgiving! A turkey coma is a good place to be after an awesome thanksgiving meal! My husband always insists on a huge turkey and we are usually eating the leftovers for months! I just made my first kale pesto the other day and I’m obsessed! I love that you added pepitas and sunflower seeds, I’ll have to try that next time!
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:30 pmThanks, Isadora! My turkey wasn’t super huge, but my guests wouldn’t take any with them (they were cooking one the next night). So. Lots of leftovers!!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
October 16, 2014 at 1:28 pmYum! Love the food processor shots… this is making me crave carbs!
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:28 pmHa, thanks, Medha!
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic
October 16, 2014 at 11:42 amHappy Canadian Thanksgiving. And I just want to say that I think you’re a genius for creating kale pesto. Can’t wait to make it myself which is tonight 🙂
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:27 pmHa! Thanks, Kathy! Hope you like it!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen
October 16, 2014 at 5:22 amThis recipe is right up my alley. I love that kale is used for the base of this pesto and it is such a gorgeous green! I cannot wait to make this recipe once we start getting some kale here (they don’t sell it here until closer to the wintertime!). 🙂 Pinned!
Denise
October 17, 2014 at 8:27 pmAw, sorry you have to wait until winter to get kale! Hope you like it, Ceara 🙂
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 9:49 pmThanks, Cailee! The kale turns such a nice deep green when you blanche it 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
October 15, 2014 at 1:40 pmYay, so glad you had a great Thanksgiving, Denise 🙂 Love the pretty color of this kale pesto – it looks fantastic with the pasta and I love that you added sunflower seeds in here too!
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 9:50 pmThanks, Kelly! It is verrry green, isn’t it?
Geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen
October 15, 2014 at 11:32 amLove how versatile pesto is. This one looks great – I love a milder pesto, too. Looking forward to trying this version. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday, Denise!
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 9:51 pmThanks, Geraldine! Glad to hear you like a mellower pesto, too. I like tasting the milder flavors like kale and sunflower seeds 🙂
Kathi @ Deliciously Yum!
October 15, 2014 at 9:11 amI am pretty sure I need this bowl of yumminess in my life! This looks beyond scrumptious, Denise.
I am so glad you had a great time celebrating Thanksgiving. Makes me wish ours was a bit closer – I can’t wait to be in a turkey coma 😉
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 10:12 amThanks, Kathi! You will be celebrating Thanksgiving before you know it…fall is just flying by! And I’m always jealous that Americans get a 4-day week-end for Thanksgiving…and black Friday (although I think I’d be too scared to go to some of those crazy sales where people end up stampeded)!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
October 15, 2014 at 7:22 amI love that you added kale to your pesto. I great way to get some extra veggies in. The whole thing sounds delicious!
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 10:11 amSneaky, isn’t it? Thanks, Dannii!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
October 15, 2014 at 6:26 amI know how rough those turkey comas can be! And this dish looks like the perfect one to help you get out of your turkey slump! Pesto is my favorite sauce for pastas, so I’m loving your creative spin on this! Looks delicious!
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 10:10 amThanks, Gayle! Won’t be long before you will be celebrating Thanksgiving/trying to survive a turkey coma 😉
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext
October 15, 2014 at 4:33 amThis pesto sounds amazing, Denise! Glad to hear your Thanksgiving was great! I always crave ‘healthy’ food after eating too and indulging much over the holidays! 😀
Denise
October 15, 2014 at 10:09 amMe too, Jess!