• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Bites of Wellness
  • Recipes by Course
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Soup
    • Salad
  • Recipes by Diet
    • gluten free
    • dairy free
    • low carb
    • high protein
    • low fat
    • vegan
    • vegetarian
    • paleo
    • whole30
  • Kitchen Essentials
  • Free Resources
  • Work With Me
    • About
    • Contact
Home / Recipes / Snacks / Kale Almond Pesto

Kale Almond Pesto

Published December 29, 2014. Last updated January 21, 2021 by Samantha Rowland

Dairy FreeVeganWhole30Paleo

Kale almond pesto is the perfect way to add more veggies to your meal without having to chomp through a huge salad or stir-fry! The acid from the lemon and the balsamic vinegar perfectly balances out the kale and the taste is spectacular as a base for pizza or on pasta noodles! This pesto is simple to make and stores fantastically in the fridge for a few days! I kept the cheese out of this one but added some almonds for body and some much needed fat. This won’t replace your basil pesto but it’s certainly a lovely change of pace in my book!

5 from 2 votes
  • Facebook
Jump to Recipe

Kale Almond Pesto - Perfect Pizza Topping

If you are anything like me, you have had an abundance of food over the past few days! I’ve been craving something just a bit lighter and full of veggies and this pesto hit the spot. I actually have enjoyed it many ways but my favorite has been as the base for a vegan sweet potato pizza bites. I heard that 2014 was the year of kale, so I figured we might as well end the year with a bang :) I put as much kale as physically possible into this pesto (I couldn’t jam any more in the food processor!). The result was all the flavors of my favorite kale salad but none of the chewing required :)

Kale Almond Pesto - Whole30

Sometimes kale can be difficult to eat. I personally need there to be some acid in the picture. I used both lemon juice and balsamic vinegar in this dish, but lime juice and sherry vinegar also produce a lovely version :) Make adjustments with what you have on hand and your own personal preferences.  This pesto is great the day you make it but is even better the next day when the vinegar has a chance to mellow out. I would recommend making a big jar, it won’t stick around long. I have made a batch of this for my little sister and she liked it so much she asked me to teach her how to make it so she can have it anytime she wants! It always makes me smile when I learn that she likes one of my recipes so much.

get my 10 greatest recipes ebook by signing up for my newsletter

GET 10 OF MY ALL TIME GREATEST RECIPES
IN THIS FREE EBOOK

Needless to say, this recipe is quick and easy and you likely have all the ingredients in your kitchen already.  Pretty sure you’ve got dinner covered! Like I said before, this kale almond pesto is great as the base for pizza instead of red sauce, on pasta, on eggs, drizzled on veggies (thinned out a little) as an addition to lasagna (wait till you see my collard green lasagna with this pesto!). I might be a little obsessed with how easy this is to pull together and since I always have at least 2 bags of kale around I am always looking for new ways to enjoy my kale!

Vegan Kale Almond Pesto

Kale Almond Pesto in a bowl

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Kale Almond Pesto

Kale Almond Pesto

This kale almond pesto is the perfect way to change it up from traditional pesto on all your favorite dishes! Vegan, dairy free, paleo, whole30 approved!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: sauce
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pesto
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4
Author: Samantha Rowland

Ingredients

  • 1/2 bunch kale - thick stalks removed
  • 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Juice of lemon
  • 10 almonds
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 2-3 tbs. water
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
  • 1 tsp. Primal Palate Garlic & Herb
  • Additional kale - as needed

Instructions

  • Remove the large stems from the kale leaves and tear into smaller more manageable pieces.
  • Add 1/2 of the kale to food processor along with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.
  • Blitz until the kale has been broken down. Add olive oil, water, salt and pepper and almonds.
  • Process 2 minutes until everything has been thoroughly incorporated.
  • Add remaining kale to the food processor and process another 2-3 minutes until thick pesto sauce has been formed.
  • Add as much additional kale as you see fit, blend until incorporated.
  • Taste for salt and pepper.
  • Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

You'll Also Love These Amazing Recipes

  • pesto shrimp flatbread pizza
  • Large bowl of creamy kale with a juiced lemon and a bottle of olive oil in the background
  • Overhead shot of a bowl filled with pea pesto with peas and basil leaves around the bowl
  • pesto shrimp flatbread pizza

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
46
Fat
 
2
g
Carbohydrates
 
4
g
Protein
 
2
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Share a pic on Instagram @bites_of_wellness or tag #bitesofwellness

If you are using this sauce as a pasta sauce, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining once pasta is finished cooking.  Add 2-3 tbs. of cooking water to the kale almond pesto. This will help the pesto adhere to the pasta, as the starch from the pasta will be in the reserved water.

What about you?

  • What is your favorite way to enjoy kale?
  • Is kale something you pick up on your usual grocery haul?
  • Have you started thinking about New Year’s Resolutions?
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. Please note I only recommend products that I personally use and trust. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.
  • Facebook

SHARE THIS POST!

If you liked this post, share it with your friends and family!

  • Facebook
Previous Post: « Protein Puppy Chow (Gluten Free, Vegan)
Next Post: Fava Bean Avocado Guacamole »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa Vera

    June 1, 2015 at 4:20 pm

    5 stars
    I am just learning how cool kale is. Thanks so much for linking up this week at #HomeMattersParty. Can’t wait to see what you link up next week.

    Reply
  2. Evija

    May 29, 2015 at 6:57 am

    This looks absolutely delicious, I love pesto.. never made it myself but this looks lovely and will definitely be giving it a go. Thank you for sharing and joining our Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday Link Party.. Have a great day, co-host Evija @Fromevijawithlove x

    Reply
  3. Emily

    May 27, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    I have been making kale smoothies for a while now, but just started experimenting with pesto recipes if I don’t eat all the kale in time. This looks tasty! My husband has a balsamic vinegar he loves, so I’ll have to try this recipe out. Pinning!

    If you are interested, I’d love to have you share this & other clean eating posts at the linkup I co-host on Tuesdays. It goes live at 7 AM central. {It’s actually open to all types of posts…but you have quite a few clean eating recipes that look tasty!!}

    Reply
  4. Brandi Clevinger

    May 24, 2015 at 7:21 pm

    What a beautiful looking pesto! Kale is good, so this is worth giving a try.

    Thanks for sharing at #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup !

    Reply
  5. Sadhna Grover

    January 7, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    This kale pesto looks great, green colour is so nice. I love kale but I have never tried kale pesto. Thanks for sharing, by chance I also shared a kale and tofu dish for Meatless monday event.

    Reply
  6. Jen @ The Halfway Homemaker

    January 2, 2015 at 11:56 pm

    I have never tried kale pesto, looks great. Thanks for sharing with Tasty Tuesdays!

    Reply
    • Sam

      January 3, 2015 at 8:55 am

      Jen it’s a great way to change it up! Have a great day and thanks for hosting Tasty Tuesday!

      Reply
  7. Andrea

    December 31, 2014 at 4:21 pm

    I have gobs of kale to use up right now. Perfect timing on this recipe!

    Reply
    • Sam

      January 3, 2015 at 9:06 am

      Yay!! Kale chips are amazing as well! Enjoy your day!

      Reply
  8. Lean Lena

    December 30, 2014 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    Mmmm…yum! I love kale. Never thought of making pesto with it! I love it in salads and smoothies, but never tried making kale pesto.
    Thanks for linking up with Tasty Tuesday this week :)

    Reply
  9. Tina Muir

    December 30, 2014 at 6:34 am

    This sounds amazing! I love pesto, and love the idea of using kale to kick up the nutrition and lighten it up like you said! This sounds perfect to me! Thanks so much for your recipes this year, I have looked forward to them every week! Looking forward to seeing a lot more in 2015!

    Reply
  10. Sarah

    December 29, 2014 at 1:19 pm

    Love kale and kale pesto! I love adding it to veggie “noodles” for an extra punch of flavor and nutrition!

    Reply
  11. Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner

    December 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm

    Ohh this looks like a great way to do Pesto a little healthier. Thanks for linking up with us again today. Hope to see lots more of your recipes in 2015!

    Reply
  12. Renee @ Bendiful Blog

    December 29, 2014 at 9:49 am

    Yummm Kale Pesto sounds perfect to me! AND I’m doing whole30 right now and everything in this recipe is approved!! Thank you! I’m going to use this tonight with my sea scallops.

    Reply
    • Sam

      December 29, 2014 at 11:50 am

      Woohoo! I hope you are able to enjoy it :) It’s so easy and delish! I”ve been thinking about trying Whole30, glad to know I could still be creative while doing it :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Browse By Course

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Dessert Sides Snacks Soup Salad All Recipes

Browse By Diet

    Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganWhole30PaleoKetoHigh ProteinLow CarbQuickVegetarian

Sam at Bites of Wellness

Hi, I’m Samantha. A personal trainer and nutrition coach. I’m here to help you get a healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes. Learn More About Me →

Whole30 Favorites

Spoon in a jar of cilantro chimichurri sauce.

Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce (Whole30, Vegan)

Cast iron skillet filled with sun dried tomato shrimp.

Sun Dried Tomato Shrimp (Whole30 + Keto)

Wooden scoop in a bowl of whole30 taco seasoning

Whole30 Taco Seasoning (low FODMAP)

Air fryer basket full of delicata squash fries.

Air Fryer Delicata Squash

Spaghetti squash halves on a white plate after cooking.

Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash

Vegan roasted red pepper sauce in a glass jar.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Vegan + Whole30)

Most Popular Recipes

Overhead shot of bowl of best ever mushroom soup with a wooden handled spoon in the bowl on the left side of the bowl. Fresh mushrooms and thyme leaves surround the bowl and there is a grey striped napkin to the left of the bowl

Best Ever Mushroom Soup

Spoon full of broccoli cheese soup over a bowl.

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

White Bean Mushroom Soup in a green and orange bowl with creamy mushrooms on the top, a red and orange napkin and a golden spoon next to the bowl

Best Ever White Bean Mushroom Soup

Bowl of protein puppy chow with a silver spoon scooping some out of the bowl.

Protein Puppy Chow (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Bowl of baked balsamic tofu with a spoon of Italian seasoning below.

Balsamic Tofu

Protein hot chocolate topped with whipped cream in a white mug.

Simple Healthy Protein Hot Chocolate (Dairy-Free)

Footer

Featured On

Bites of Wellness has been featured on countryliving.Bites of Wellness has been featured on buzzfeed.Bites of Wellness has been featured on women's health.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Boston Magazine.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Well and Good.Bites of Wellness has been featured on SHAPE.Bites of Wellness has been featured on PureWow.Bites of Wellness has been featured on PARADE.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Huffington Post.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Greatist.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Eat This Not That.

Recipes by Diet

  • Gluten Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Vegan
  • Paleo
  • Whole30
  • Low Carb
  • High Protein
  • Low Fat
  • Keto

Recipes by Course

  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
  • Side Dish
  • Dessert
  • Snacks
  • Salad
  • Quick

Free Resources

  • Free Resources
  • Kitchen Essentials

Contact & Privacy

  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Me On Social!

© Copyright 2021 Bites of Wellness