Craving pasta but want to keep it healthy? This vibrant spaghetti with kale and basil pesto is the perfect solution! This vibrant Kale Pesto isn’t just delicious; it’s a nutritional powerhouse!
Packed with leafy greens, this sauce is brimming with essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamin K, crucial for blood clotting and bone health, is abundant in kale. You’ll also find an impressive array of vitamins, including A, C, and E, all powerful antioxidants that protect your cells from damage. This pesto is also a good source of minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium, essential for strong bones, healthy blood, and proper nerve function.
Beyond vitamins and minerals, this Kale Pesto offers a wealth of other health benefits. The fibre from the leafy greens promotes digestive health, while the healthy fats from the olive oil support heart health. This vibrant green sauce is a delicious and nutritious way to add more greens to your diet.
Enjoy it as a topping for your favourite pasta dishes, spread it on sandwiches, or use it as a dip for vegetables. This kale and basil pesto is a delicious and nutritious way to add more greens to your diet!
Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personalised dietary guidance.
You can easily customise this recipe to make it gluten-free, nut-free, grain-free, or vegan. Enjoy the pesto as it is, or add favourites such as grilled tofu or chicken to amp up the protein content.
Ingredients:
- 500g high protein spaghetti (sub with your favourite gluten-free pasta or even zoodles)
- 2 cups packed fresh kale leaves, stemmed and chopped
- 1 cup packed fresh picked basil leaves.
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (sub with your own favourite nuts or sunflower seeds or chickpeas*, which have been soaked overnight for a nut-free alternative).
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Cockatoo Grove extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Chilli Flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grilled marinated firm tofu (optional; we love using organic Earth’s Source Firm Tofu)
Method:
- Make the pesto in a food processor by combining kale, basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until smooth. Add a little water to adjust the consistency to taste. Set aside.
- Prepare a large pot of salted water to bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot over low heat with a good drizzle of olive oil. Add the kale pesto and grilled tofu (if using) and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up.
- Remove from heat and divide the spaghetti among bowls. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of chilli flakes (if using) and the additional parmesan to serve.
* If using soaked chickpeas, pulse these in the food processor first until they resemble coarse crumbs before adding the other pesto ingredients.
Enjoy your delicious and healthy spaghetti with kale and basil pesto!
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