RecipeKale Pasta Pesto

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
  • Calories: 520
  • Protein: 20 g
  • Total Fat: 21 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 74 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 10 g
  • Total Sugar: 3 g
    • Natural Sugar: 3 g
    • Added Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 560 mg
Good For

Want smoother, younger-looking skin? Whip up this beautiful bowl of Kale Pasta Pesto, which features four wrinkle-fighting foods: lycopene-rich tomatoes, beta-carotene-packed kale, matcha, which is loaded with antioxidants, and omega-3-fat-containing walnuts. This dish offers the best of both worlds: it provides comfort food satisfaction while delivering health-promoting perks.

  • Prep time
  • Total Time
This recipe makes 5 servings
Ingredients:
  • • 3 cups loosely packed kale, stems removed
  • • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • • ¼ cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  • • ¼ cup toasted walnuts
  • • ¾ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • • 2 tablespoons matcha powder
  • • 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
  • • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • • 10 cups whole-grain pasta, cooked
  • • 16 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
  • • Ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:

Add the kale, basil, Parmesan, broth, walnuts, salt, matcha, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the greens are finely chopped. Scrape down the sides as needed to ensure everything is incorporated and well blended.

Then drizzle in the olive oil while you continue to pulse until everything is evenly blended. Season with additional salt, ground black pepper, and garlic to taste. (Mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons extra broth if a thinner texture is desired.)

Toss the kale pesto sauce with cooked pasta and tomatoes.

Nutrition analysis courtesy of Genesis® R&D

For more pasta recipes, try my Mac and Cheese and Spinach Lasagna!