Discover our easy-to-make superfood Kale Pesto—just as creamy and rich as the original. Cashews provide creaminess, lemon adds freshness, and chili flakes bring complexity. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or salads. Make a batch today!
Total Time
30min
5.0
3 Ratings
Author: Scarlett Wang at SideChef
Servings:
4
Ingredients
•
10
oz
Rigatoni
•
4 1/2
cups
Kale
, de-stemmed, firmly packed
•
1
cup
Fresh Basil
•
3
cloves
Garlic
, peeled
•
1/2
cup
Cashew Nuts
, toasted
•
1
Lemon
, zested, juiced
•
as needed
Brown Sugar
•
4
Tbsp
Olive Oil
•
4
Tbsp
Grated Parmesan Cheese
•
as needed
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
•
as needed
Salt
•
as needed
Ground Black Pepper
Cooking Instructions
1.
Bring a pot of salted water to boil, blanch the Kale (4 1/2 cups) for 5 minutes, and shock in an ice bath. Once the kale is cool, drain and squeeze out some water, but don’t squeeze too much.
2.
Into a blender, add the kale, Fresh Basil (1 cup), Garlic (3 cloves), Cashew Nuts (1/2 cup), Lemon Juice (1), Brown Sugar (as needed), Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (as needed), 1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice, Olive Oil (4 Tbsp), Salt (as needed), and Ground Black Pepper (as needed). Blend until smooth.
3.
Bring another pot of salted water to boil, and cook the Rigatoni (10 oz) until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta.
4.
Add the pasta, pesto, and Grated Parmesan Cheese (4 Tbsp) to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the pasta water as needed.
5.
Spoon the pasta into a serving bowl, top with more parmesan cheese and sprinkle some chopped cashew and red chili flakes. Then serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
CALORIES
486
FAT
27.3 g
PROTEIN
22.6 g
CARBS
48.0 g
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