kale pesto recipe

This vibrant kale pesto is bright, nutty, and delicious! Toss it with pasta, or find more serving suggestions in the post above. Leftover pesto will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.

Kale Pesto

pepitas

garlic clove

Parmesan cheese (or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast)

Heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt

black pepper

curly kale

lemon juice

olive oil

In a food processor, pulse the pepitas and garlic until the pepitas are ground up. Add the cheese or nutritional yeast, salt, and several grinds of pepper and pulse again.

Add the kale and lemon juice. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil, and process until combined. Season to taste.

A twist on classic Italian risotto prepared with Forbidden rice (black rice) and topped with a homemade kale pesto. To reduce prep or cook time, feel free to use a high-quality fresh store-bought pesto in place of homemade.

Forbidden Rice Risotto with Kale Pesto

kale

¼ cup chopped lightly toasted walnuts

¼ - ⅓ cup (60-80 mL) extra virgin olive oil

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

salt + black pepper

chicken stock (total amount needed can vary batch to batch)

2½ tablespoons (35 grams) unsalted butter (divided)

onion

Black Forbidden rice

½ cup (120 mL) dry white wine

kosher salt

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (plus more for serving)

Prepare the Pesto: Strip the leaves from the kale stems (discarding the stalks or repurpose for vegetable stock) and place the leaves in a large colander set within your kitchen sink. Boil water in an electric or stove-top kettle.  Pour the boiling water over the kale leaves until they just begin to wilt.  Rinse the leaves with cold water to stop the cooking. Allow the leaves to drain and once cool enough to handle (or using the back of a wooden spoon), squeeze out and discard any excess water.

Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until fincely minced. Add the walnuts and blanched, pressed kale leaves. While pulsing, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth. Stir in the grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Prepare Risotto: Place chicken broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a very low simmer.

Heat 1½ tablespoons (20g) unsalted butter into a separate large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced onions and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly, until they are very soft and translucent.

Add the Forbidden rice and stir everything together. Toast the rice for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the white wine and cook until almost completely evaporated and rice kernels are relatively dry.

Add a ladleful - roughly ½ (120mL) to ¾ (180 ML) cup - of the simmering stock, stirring every few minutes, until the stock has been absorbed and rice looks relatively dry. Adjust the heat as needed so that the broth is not evaporating too quickly.

Continue to add broth (using the same method) until the rice is al dente, soft on outside with a slight chewy interior. Total cook time will vary, but be roughly 40 to 60 minutes total, depending on your stove and the heat level. The risotto should be thick, but loose enough to flow on a plate or bowl. If the risotto becomes too thick, add additional stock to loosen it. Once risotto is ready, stir in the remaining butter and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Top each serving with a spoonful of kale pesto and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately with additional grated cheese for serving. 

Thought for sure I had reviewed this already! It’s absolutely one of my favorite dishes. I make it all of the time! I’m on vacation and made it here but have leftovers. Think it would freeze well?

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Kale Pesto

Forbidden Rice Risotto with Kale Pe...

Top 2 kale pesto recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed kale pesto recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Kale Pesto

Forbidden Rice Risotto with Kale Pe...

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