This is the Best Vegan Kale Pesto – it’s lemony, garlicky, and completely delicious!

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I LOVE pesto. Not only is it super delicious, but it’s customizable, versatile, and nutritious. If I’m feeling like I’m not getting enough greens, I’ll make a pesto to put on whole wheat or chickpea noodles. I also love adding pesto to mashed avocado (with a dash of hot paprika) to make avocado toast.

This is my best vegan kale pesto recipe – I make it a couple times a month, and it’s usually gone within a day or two! The recipe is well-balanced, with the herby garlic and basil, nutty pumpkin seeds, and earthy kale. Plus, it only takes a few minutes to throw together! I love it when you can achieve big flavors with minimal effort.

Even though I’ve always loved pesto, I make it more often now because it’s my boyfriend’s favorite. In fact, for his birthday yesterday he requested my pumpkin gnocchi recipe with pesto. I made a variation of this pesto, but I swapped out kale for spinach and added in a dash of paprika. The result was AMAZINGLY delicious (see it here). It made me so happy to create something tasty and nourishing for him, because he does so much for me. I know he gets a decent amount of air time here, but he deserves so much recognition for all that he does. I feel like (in fact, I know) you don’t come around people like him that often. He’s unlike any other person I’ve ever met. Sometimes I just sit down and wonder how I got so unbelievably lucky!! :)

The Best Vegan Kale Pesto FAQs

Can you make kale pesto without basil?

You can, but it won’t taste much like your typical pesto. If you don’t like basil, or want to switch things up, try adding parsley and chives instead of the dried basil.

Do I need to blanch the kale to make pesto?

Blanching is a cooking technique where you quickly boil a green (like kale), then immediately shock it in an ice bath. This helps the greens stay greener for longer. However, I find this to be kind of an unnecessary step. You can definitely do it, but for me it’s not worth dirtying up a pan and bowl just to keep my pesto slightly greener!

What makes pesto not vegan?

If you use cheese in pesto (as it’s made traditionally), it will not longer be vegan. If you’d like to add cheesy flavor to this recipe, see my notes about adding in nutritional yeast! Of course, if you’re not vegan, feel free to add in some parmesan or asiago!

What do I do if my kale pesto is bitter?

Kale can sometimes be a little bitter when it’s uncooked, so if you find your pesto to be bitter, add in a little more olive oil to the pesto, and re-mix it with a handful of spinach. This should cut through any bitterness. You can also try adding a tiny sprinkle of sugar or maple syrup to reduce bitterness!

Does kale pesto go bad?

This pesto needs to be stored in the refrigerator, and not for more than 3-4 days. You can always opt to freeze the pesto for up to 2 months! Just defrost in the fridge before using!

P.S.

If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me @wellandfull and #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your takes on my recipes :)