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.

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

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Kale Pasta Pesto

This dish offers the best of both worlds: it provides comfort food satisfaction while delivering health-promoting perks.
Servings: 5 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 cups loosely packed kale, stems removed
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • ½ 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

Instructions
 

  • 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.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Calories: 520Carbohydrates: 74gProtein: 20gTotal Fat: 21g— Unsaturated Fat: 18g— Saturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 560mgFiber: 10gTotal Sugar: 3g— Natural Sugar: 3g— Added Sugar: 0g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe! If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!