Kale pesto pasta is a very healthy midweek supper. We’ve used glorious superfoods kale and broccoli in our pesto to take it to healthier heights. Pesto pasta doesn’t have to be a boring dish, no matter how good it is for you! We love broccoli and the flavours it brings to this pesto party. You can use this as a base kale pesto pasta and add any of your favourite vegetables to the mix: mixed roasted veg, sliced cherry tomatoes, roasted carrot batons - whatever takes your fancy.
Ingredients
- ¼ head of broccoli florets
- 150g Gemelli pasta
- 100g kale
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 30g Parmesan, grated, plus extra for serving
- 30g cashews, toasted
- 1 large bunch basil
- ½ lemon, juiced, plus the zest for topping
- 3tbsp olive oil
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Lightly blanch the broccoli for a few minutes then remove and set aside to cool. Cook the Gemelli in the water according to packet instructions.
- Tear the stems out of the kale and discard, add the leaves to the pasta pan for 4-5 minutes. Carefully remove and transfer the leaves to a food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add the garlic, cooked broccoli, Parmesan, cashew nuts and basil to the blender, and pulse until you get a paste. You might need to scrape down the sides as you go. Add the juice of half a lemon and olive oil, blend again and season to taste.
- When the Gemelli is cooked, drain and return to the pan. Stir through your kale pesto and serve with a grating of Parmesan and lemon zest.
Top Tip for making Kale pesto pasta
The nuts in this recipe can be replaced with sunflower seeds, and if you’d like a vegan version try out a vegan Parmesan cheese, or omit it altogether.
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