I know I know I know it’s not donuts that taste like cookies, but hang in there with me.
Occasionally we have to empty our produce drawer into our bodies.
Today we’re talking Kale Pesto and making a lazy salad. This pesto has all sorts of lives atop scrambled eggs, on toast, or warmed and dolloped on top of skirt steak. It’s like, if you have Kale Pesto in your refrigerator you’ve got a meal no matter what.
Shall we?
First things first, get in the kitchen and raid your produce drawer of most green things and lots of lemons.
I filled a food processor to the brim with kale leaves.
Other green things include scallions, fresh parsley, and later… pistachio nuts, amen.
Garlic is peeled, halved, and added to the bowl for blending.
It’s nice being in the kitchen with Leela and Food with Friends. It’s simple and earnest and delicious without any fussy fuss.
I love pistachios in pestos because you get to shell pistachios (and eat most of the stash), and the nuts are soft and salty and easy in the food processor.
Olive oil is streamed into the whirling kale and herbs along with the pistachios, garlic, lemon, and parmesan.
Look at this green goodness!
Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Kale pesto, heaps of it, are tossed with warm cooked orzo pasta.
This is about when I start eating it with the serving spoon before I can even get it on a serving platter.
Lettuce leaves, washed and shaken dry.
Salad. Like adults do on occasion.
Plus hard boiled egg. Plus extra pistachios. Plus more lemon juice. Plus a grapefruit spritzer. Plus a fine friend. That’s a fine day. Fine and good.
PrintKale Pesto Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15
Ingredients
For the Kale Pesto
- 4 cups roughly chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1 cup shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
- 1 small handful fresh parsley, stems and all
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup olive oil
For the Salad
- scant 1 pound orzo pasta, cooked to tender
- 1 head butter or romaine lettuce
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, combine kale, garlic, scallions, pistachios, parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cheese. Pulse until just barely combined. Mix on low speed while slowly streaming the olive oil into the mixture. Blending until well chopped and completely emulsified. Taste and season according to your preference.
- Toss the pesto over warm, cooked orzo pasta and toss to combine. Tear lettuce leaves and divide between plates. Top with pasta salad. Sprinkle with lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
Russell
Great collection of recipes. I would like to add a link to this page from my website, would you be okay with this? These recipes are great for people that are new at making pasta and want to learn more recipes, and I think these recipes could help out a lot of my visitors. Thanks in advance!
joythebaker
No, that’s great, go for it!
Borhan
This step by step pasta salad recipe is great. I’m in the process of making this for Memorial Day dinner. Thanks for the nice recipe.
Betsy
Made this and used it with beet, zucchini and carrot noodles so i feel slightly less guilty about the large spoonful(s) of pesto i mound on top. Delish!
gerry @ foodness gracious
Yes to all of these flavors but pistachios are genius!!
vanessa
I have everything except pistachios think walnuts will work???
joythebaker
yes! i think so!
Aimee Wimbush-Bourque
Love the sounds of this, Joy! Almost as much as I love these glimpses into your new kitchen. Hugs.
Shannon
Thank you for the recipe! This was the first time I ever made pesto and it turned out delicious!
Ali
I’ve run out of kale ideas this winter and spring so I’m looking forward to trying this! I think it looks like you used Lacinato kale? Is that the best variety to use for this recipe?
ximenaradulovici
I love you recipes Joy! Healthy but delicious. https://staycationinfatuation.wordpress.com/
Ashlyn @ Pedantic Foodie
This looks so refreshing! I’m not a huge fan of kale, but I may have to give this a shot!
Liz
Love kale! Love pistachios! Love pesto! This is the best. Can’t wait to make it.
Tisha
I’ve been waiting patiently for this recipe to appear, after you teased it a while ago (a Sunday post?). It looks better than I imagined and will be made this week. Thanks!
Cy
I love kale, salad, pistachios and pesto. I’m in! I might even like them better than donuts, but don’t tell Joy, she’s a sugar fiend( like my bestie Chris) ????
Considering The Radish
Yum. This is my type of pasta salad.
sweetteasweetie (@SweetTSweetie)
This looks delicious! I’m amazing at your will power. Everytime I crack open pistachios, I eat them right away. They rarely actually make it into a dish!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Nikki
This looks soo yummy! Love the added orzo so that it’s a bit heartier!! :)
Nikki | http://www.nikkibstyles.com
eadevoie
I love pasta salad, in almost all forms, but I have never tried a kale pesto. I’m going to have to add this one to my list!
Cheese and Chinese
Kale pesto sounds amazing! We only recently made spinach pesto and it was such a nice change from the usual, love it!
Katrina
Really love the sound of that kale pesto! This is the perfect Spring salad Joy!
Nadia
Sounds great and a good use of kale too