Tree Nut Free Kale & Herb Pesto
Most pesto recipes lean on pine nuts or walnuts for body and richness, but this version skips them entirely and still delivers a deeply satisfying, vibrant sauce. Blanched kale forms the backbone here, giving the pesto a silky texture and a gorgeous deep green color that holds up beautifully without any nuts in the mix. Fresh basil and parsley keep things bright and herby, while lemon juice adds a clean, zippy lift that makes the whole thing feel alive. A touch of turmeric and optional fresh ginger push it somewhere a little unexpected — earthy, warm, and just interesting enough to make people ask what's in it. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and streaming in good olive oil at the end brings everything together into a thick, spoonable paste with real texture. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, swirl it into soup, or use it as a dip — it's one of those sauces that quietly improves everything it touches.
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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
- 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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