Pesto brightens everything it touches. If a dish feels bland, a spoonful of pesto will instantly lift it—stirred into a stir-fry, swirled into soup, folded into a cream sauce, or eaten straight from the jar. It’s versatile, bold, and easy to love.
One of my favorite ways to use pesto is to transform a simple white sauce. Add several big spoonfuls to a basic cream sauce and you’ll get a rich, herb-forward finish that takes the sauce to another level.
Pesto recipes vary widely. Basil is classic, but you can make great pesto with parsley, arugula, spinach, cilantro, or any leafy green you like. The core elements are similar: greens, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, a nut (traditionally pine nuts), and Parmesan. Keep those flavors balanced and your pesto will be delicious.
I’m especially fond of swapping kale for basil. Kale pesto is a fantastic way to sneak some extra greens into meals without sacrificing flavor. The hearty, slightly earthy taste of kale makes a robust pesto that I find myself making again and again.
Another great thing about pesto is how easy it is to prepare when you have a food processor. Making pesto is as simple as adding ingredients to the bowl and pulsing until everything becomes a smooth paste. Watching the ingredients whirl together into a uniform, green sauce is oddly satisfying.
Basic kale pesto method:
- Add packed kale, garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, and pine nuts to your food processor.
- Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse paste, then scrape down the sides.
- With the processor running, stream in olive oil until incorporated. Scrape the sides again.
- Add water one tablespoon at a time, pulsing, until you reach your desired consistency.
That’s it—simple, fresh, and full of flavor.
On a different note: have you tried making energy bites? I once attempted to invent a recipe and ended up with a gloopy mess. Not every kitchen experiment sticks, but I’m still excited by the idea. A friend and I are planning a long-distance “energy bite party” to try a basic recipe and a carrot cake version—proof that cooking can be social even from afar.
I briefly considered a kale pesto energy bite and then decided that sounded odd—maybe some ideas are better left on the page. Still, pesto’s versatility never fails to inspire new combinations.
Kale Pesto
- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 1 cup of pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed kale
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 2–3 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the olive oil to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse several times until everything is finely chopped and forms a paste.
- Remove the lid, scrape down the sides, replace the lid, and with the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
- With the processor running, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency (about 2 tablespoons if you want a looser pesto).
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, pulsing to combine.
Nutrition info is for 1 tablespoon of pesto.
If you make this or any of my recipes, tag your photo on Instagram with #thegarlicdiaries — I love seeing what you create.
Want more pesto ideas? Try these recipes from the same kitchen:
Pesto Chicken Meatballs Over Lemon Arugula
Pan Seared Scallops with Pistachio Pesto [21 Day Fix]
Pesto Grilled Vegetable Salad