Kale has grown in popularity especially in recent years due to it’s potent detoxifying benefits- but did you know that you could also cook using the stems from the plant and not just the leaves? My favorite “scrappy cooking” hack is to save the stems from kale and tender herbs, blanch them, and incorporate then into the pesto itself! I promise you, not even the pickiest of kids will be able to tell that they are eating vegetables inside of pesto!
Fresh aged parmigiano, garlic, and flavorful herbs are the perfect accompaniment to peppery arugula and bright kale!
This recipe is perfect for spreading on top of toast, tossed with pasta, stirred into eggs, tossed with vegetables before roasted, brushed onto meat before cooking, or baked into bread for a burst of herbaceous flavor!
Particularly what I love the most about this recipe is how versatile it is! Swap arugula for spinach or other greens that are your liking, or add an abundance of fresh herbs that you like in addition to just basil! So, who said eating good can’t also be good for you?
Kale Stem & Arugula Pesto:
4 fresh lemons, juiced & zested
1/2 cup blanched kale stems
1 cup blanched kale leaves
1/2 cup blanched arugula leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves fresh garlic (or more, depending on how garlicky you like your pesto to be!)
3 cups of quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
Sea salt & chili flakes to taste
Cut kale stems into manageable pieces- blanch in salted water for 1-1/2 minutes until lightly tender. Shock immediately in cold ice water to stop cooking
Blanch arugula and kale leaves in salted water for 30-45 seconds, shock immediately in ice water
Toast nuts at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until toasted
Squeeze water from the greens and transfer to your food processor with garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, and basil
Pulse ingredients in your food processor and slowly drizzle in olive oil to emulsify
Season to taste with sea salt and chili flakes, to your liking.
Keep in mind, Parmesan cheese has a high saline content and all of the greens were cooked in salted water therefore you may not need as much salt as you think! This is why it’s always best to save your seasoning until the end. Store pesto in mason jars for up to a month!
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