Pasta with Kale and Walnut Pesto

Pasta with Kale and Walnut Pesto

I saw this recipe in Real Simple Magazine awhile back and ripped it out. 

I had a bunch of kale on hand and we love pesto, so I decided to make this last week for my pasta lover, Brennan.

I'm new to cooking with kale, but have been trying some new recipes, including the Yummy Greens I posted recently.  I love a recipe that uses ingredients I already have in the house!

I toasted walnuts on a baking sheet in the oven for 8 minutes then chopped them up.

While the nuts were heating up, I boiled a large pot of salted water and then cooked my kale for about 30 seconds until it turned bright green.

Then I scooped the kale out of the water and drained it, leaving the water too cook the pasta.

After it drains, you have to take paper towels and really get all the water out so your pesto isn't watery. 

That's better

You put the kale, Parmesan (or pecorino) cheese, garlic clove, most of the walnuts, and Kosher salt and pepper in the food processor and finely chop it, streaming olive oil in through the tube.

You then drain your boiled pasta, reserving a little bit of the cooking water, and put everything back into the empty pot - the pesto, the drained pasta and about 1/4 c of the reserved pasta water, and combine well.

Transfer to a serving bowl and topped with the remaining chopped, toasted walnuts.

 

Kale has a distinctive flavor, and I think the garlic, pasta, walnuts, and cheese really improve the flavor.  This is a great dish warmed up the next day for lunch as well!

Double click to print as a 5x7 recipe card.

Buon appetito!