Paleo Homemade Kale Pesto
Brighten up your paleo meal plan with this vibrant and nutritious *Paleo Homemade Kale Pesto*. This quick and easy recipe comes together in just 10 minutes and is brimming with wholesome ingredients like fresh kale, raw walnuts, and zesty lemon juice. Toasted walnuts bring a delightful nuttiness, while nutritional yeast offers a cheesy, dairy-free twist, making this pesto both paleo and vegan-friendly. Olive oil binds everything into a rich, creamy sauce that’s perfect as a dip, a topping for grilled meats, or a flavorful addition to paleo-friendly pasta or zucchini noodles. Packed with nutrients, this kale pesto is a healthy yet indulgent way to elevate any dish. Plus, it stores well in the fridge or freezer, ensuring you always have a burst of flavor on hand! Keywords: paleo kale pesto, dairy-free pesto, vegan kale pesto, easy homemade pesto.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh kale leaves
- 0.5 cups raw walnuts
- 0.75 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 units garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 0.5 teaspoons sea salt
- 0.25 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Wash the 2 cups of kale leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt. Remove the tough stems and roughly chop the leaves.
In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the 0.5 cups of raw walnuts for about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently until they are golden brown and fill the kitchen with a nutty aroma. Remove the walnuts from the heat and let them cool for a minute.
In a food processor, combine the chopped kale, cooled walnuts, 3 garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely combined.
Add 0.5 teaspoons of sea salt and 0.25 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper. Pulse a few more times to integrate the seasoning.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the 0.75 cups of extra virgin olive oil until the pesto is smooth and creamy. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour in 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and pulse again to combine, adjusting salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste if necessary.
Transfer the pesto to a container with a lid and refrigerate it for up to a week, or freeze in smaller portions for later use.
Serve the kale pesto as a topping for grilled meats, a dip for vegetables, or as a sauce for paleo-friendly pasta or zucchini noodles.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2030 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 210.1 g | 269% | |
| Saturated Fat | 28.1 g | 140% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 1292 mg | 56% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 41.8 g | 15% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 17.0 g | 61% | |
| Total Sugars | 4.3 g | ||
| Protein | 27.6 g | 55% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 484 mg | 37% | |
| Iron | 7.2 mg | 40% | |
| Potassium | 1858 mg | 40% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
