Low Iodine Kale & Herb Pesto
This vibrant green pesto swaps out the usual pine nuts and parmesan for a bold lineup of kale, fresh basil, parsley, and good olive oil — and the result is something you'll want to put on absolutely everything. A quick blanch keeps the kale bright and mellows any bitterness before it hits the food processor, so the final texture is smooth, lush, and deeply herby. Lemon juice lifts the whole thing, while a pinch of turmeric and optional fresh ginger add a subtle warmth that makes this pesto feel a little more interesting than the classic. Traditional pesto recipes almost always call for aged cheese and sometimes nuts, both of which can be tricky to navigate on a low-iodine plan — this version sidesteps both without sacrificing any of the richness you'd expect. Extra-virgin olive oil does the heavy lifting here, binding everything into a thick, spoonable sauce that clings beautifully to pasta, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. The whole thing comes together in under ten minutes once your kale is blanched and squeezed dry, making it an easy weeknight staple you can batch and keep in the fridge all week.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups curly or lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves roughly torn
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
Chef's tipFine sea salt and table salt measure the same - no conversion needed. - ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a small skillet of water to a boil over high heat. Add the kale leaves and blanch for 30 seconds, until bright green and just wilted. Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking, then squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands.
- 2
Combine the blanched kale, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, turmeric, and ginger (if using) in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
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