Kale & Pistachio Pesto
This Kale and Pistachio Pesto is a delicious alternative to traditional pesto and is a great pesto to have in your fridge and use in an endless number of ways. This kale and pistachio pesto recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make with just a handful of ingredients. 
When I originally wrote this kale and pistachio pesto blog post back in 2013, kale took the award for trendy food. It was the king of superfoods, and cooking blogs and food magazines alike were scrambling to find different ways to use it. I think it’s safe to say that kale has not lost momentum. One of my favorite ways to use kale is to make pesto. If you find yourself without fresh basil but have a bunch of kale hanging around that needs to be used, this kale pesto recipe is your winner. The beauty of pesto is that it’s absolutely delicious and incredibly versatile spread on crackers, served with your protein of choice, eaten as a dip with veggies, used as a sauce with pasta, or dolloped on your eggs for breakfast. This great recipe has simple ingredients that can easily be modified, and you can make it last minute for a friend or family gathering, or make a big batch for meal prep, and store it in ice cube trays for individual portions to be served later. The best part about this recipe is that it’s packed full of nutrients between both the kale and the pistachios.
Is Kale Healthy?
Kale truly is a superfood with an endless number of health benefits including:
- High in Vitamin A (great for vision, skin, and preventing lung cancer) and Vitamin C (good for your immune system).
- It’s high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which is an anti-inflammatory.
- Eating more kale can lower your cholesterol levels.
- High in Iron (per calorie, kale has more iron than beef).
- High in Calcium (per calorie, it has more calcium than milk).
- It’s high in Vitamin K, which can help fight against various cancers.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Pistachios?
- This seed (it’s not a nut; all nuts are seeds, but not all seeds are nuts) contains 20% protein.
- It is high-ranking in antioxidants.
- An excellent source of unsaturated fats and potassium.
- They have excellent anti-inflammatory traits.
- They promote healthy gut bacteria.
- They are high in fiber.
- They can help with high cholesterol and high blood pressure
… And the list goes on.
Ingredients You Need To Make This Kale And Pistachio Pesto
- Fresh Organic Kale: This is a must, of course, in my opinion, but you can use fresh basil leaves as a substitute or even do partial kale and basil for a delicious basil pistachio pesto.
- Pistachios: You can roast raw pistachios yourself or buy shelled and roasted pistachios. The classic basil pesto recipe uses pine nuts, but you could also use walnuts, pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds), almonds, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Garlic Clove: If you like your pesto to have a strong, garlicky kick, feel free to add more cloves. If you don’t have any fresh cloves, you can use minced garlic.
- Parmesan Cheese: Nutritional Yeast is a great substitute for those who follow Paleo or Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice or store-bought lemon juice will work. For a delicious kick, you could also add a little lemon zest.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Avocado Oil or Grape seed Oil would also be great.
- Salt and Black Pepper: You can use whatever type of salt you have on hand. Himalayan pink salt and sea salt are great options, though. You can also use white pepper in place of black pepper if you want a more mild and earthy taste.
You can find a full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
What Type of Kale is the Best for This Easy Kale and Pistachio Pesto?
The list for kale is vast, but here are a few to give you some ideas to get you started if you are unfamiliar with kale. The most common is curly kale, the name of which is given to it for obvious reasons. This is the one you will likely find pre-washed and prepped for you in a convenient little bag, but you can also buy a bunch of it yourself and remove it from its stems. Another common one is Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale. It is known for its milder and sweeter flavor, and it has a much softer texture. If you’re looking for an even milder kale flavor, I would recommend baby kale. Baby kale is picked before full maturity, so the leaves are much smaller and sweeter. It has a mild, peppery flavor similar to arugula. Baby kale is a great option for pesto and for those wanting to join the world of kale eaters.
How To Make This Kale And Pistachio Pesto
If you are using raw pistachios, place them on a baking sheet at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes until they begin to darken. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until smooth (this would be simple to make with an immersion blender, too). If you find that the pesto sauce is too clumpy in texture, you may not have added enough olive oil. Add in a splash more and continue to blend.
Ways To Modify This Kale and Pistachio Pesto
- To make this pistachio and kale pesto recipe the traditional way, you can substitute the traditional pine nuts for the pistachios and/or fresh basil instead of kale.
- For those who are following a Paleo, Dairy Free diet or the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan are great options in place of grated parmesan
- Swap out the extra-virgin olive oil for avocado oil or grape seed oil.
- You can make this an oil-free pesto if you want to make this lower in fat.
Why You Will Love This Kale and Pistachio Pesto
- This delicious and easy kale and pistachio pesto recipe requires minimal food prep and can be made in less than 5 minutes after toasting the pistachios. It’s perfect for a last-minute gathering or when you are looking for a great way to use up some kale you have lying around.
- This kale and pistachio pesto recipe requires only a handful of ingredients, which are easily accessible at any grocery store. It’s so nutritious and packed full of amazing health benefits.
- It can be stored easily in a freezer-safe container or kept in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. It is so versatile, and can be made in large batches for meal prep to be added to meals all week long.
- It has a fun twist that takes it to a whole new level of homemade pesto. Kale and pistachios are so healthy, and combined, they make such a healthy pesto recipe.
How To Serve This Kale And Pistachio Pesto?
- Use on a charcuterie board with your favorite crackers, veggies, or small pieces of toasted bread
- Make a healthy breakfast with a dollop of pesto on your eggs
- Serve over fish, shrimp, or chicken with a thin layer of olive oil and fresh herbs
- Serve over hot pasta, zucchini noodles, or your favorite pasta substitute, and top with freshly grated Parmesan or vegan Parmesan
- Use on top of grain bowls and fresh veggies
- Stir into a salad dressing or drizzle it over a Caprese salad
What About Leftovers
This kale and pistachio pesto can be stored for several days in an airtight container in your refrigerator. I like having it on hand to add to my eggs for breakfast or stir into salad dressing. The best part is that it can be used for endless possibilities and a delicious way to use that fresh kale that needs to be used.
Can I Freeze This Kale and Pistachio Pesto
This Pistachio and Kale pesto can absolutely be frozen. Simply store in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw in warm water or leave at room temperature on the countertop. I also like to freeze portions of it in an ice cube tray that I can quickly pop out and add frozen into a soup or pasta.
Here are a few more pesto recipes that you might enjoy:
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Chicken Meatballs in a Chunky Pesto Sauce
- Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Walnut Arugula Pesto
- Pesto Chicken & Tomato Skewers
- Pesto & Roasted Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms
- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Kale Pesto
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Kale and Pistachio Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 cups shredded curly kale stems removed
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor combine all of the above ingredients and pulse until there are no chunks, be sure to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula as it blends to ensure everything is mixed in.
This post was originally published on April 13, 2014 and updated with new photos and copy on July 15, 2024.
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