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    Home » Main Dishes

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    Published: Jun 2, 2016 · Modified: Sep 25, 2023 by Gloria - The Greedy Vegan · This post may contain affiliate links · 25 Comments

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    Cavolo nero or tuscan kale as it is called is my favourite leafy green. It is simple to grow, demands very little and is so very easy to prepare. I tend to just wilt it in a pan with some garlic or use it in my favourite winter stew. Alternatively I chop it very finely and add it fresh to salads in smaller quantities. I love its nutty flavour and the fact that it doesn't need much cooking. In fact it benefits from shorter cooking times in terms of flavour and texture. It was only a matter of time until I turned this leafy green into a cavolo nero pesto.

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    Much to my delight the colour of the cavolo nero pesto turned out to be as vibrant as the taste. It is earthy, strong and with a deep nutty flavour that the kale provides. By using a smaller quantity of basil I have found that this is a great way to keep your basil plants happy on the windowsill without having to cut the whole plant down to make one portion of pesto.

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    Generally a pesto is made with pine nuts but I opted for the more affordable cashews since the pine taste would be lost in this version. The cashews give this cavolo nero pesto a lighter touch thanks to their sweetness and the creaminess that they provide. While the process is as simple as with any pesto there is one crucial step you should never skip when cooking with this type of kale. Remove the thick leaf stalk, it is especially necessary with larger leaves. Leaving the stem in causes a very unpleasant texture and hair like strings in your pesto.

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    After this it is just a matter of roughly chopping the leaves up and adding them with the other ingredients to a food processor. I tend to process it until there are a few bigger chunks of cashews left and then I add a few spoons of the boiling pasta water to it. In a normal pesto genovese you wouldn't need that but keep in mind that kale is a lot denser than basil and profits from the starch and liquid that the pasta water provides.

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    While it is enough for the traditional pesto to just touch the hot pasta to get "cooked" the kale leaves need a bit of extra help. Just add the hot water and blend for a few more seconds. By doing this you cook the kale just enough to change its taste without altering the bright green colour.

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    Once your pasta of choice is cooked and ready, spoon the cavolo nero pesto into the pot and give it a good stir.  Garnish with some red pepper and salt to taste. Enjoy.

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    Cavolo Nero Pesto

    The Greedy Vegan
    This vegan cavolo nero pesto takes fresh kale and combines it with cashew nuts. It is lighter and healthier than it's full fat Italian counterpart.
    4.82 from 16 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Pesto
    Cuisine Vegan
    Servings 4 portions
    Calories 291 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 45 g cavolo nero washed and chopped, very tightly packed if measured in cups
    • 90 g cashews
    • 5 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoon basil freshly chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
    • 3 tablespoon hot water ideally from your boiling pasta or potatoes
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    Instructions
     

    • Wash the kale, remove the stems from the leaves and chop it roughly.
    • Add it with the remaining ingredients to a food processor - except the hot water.
    • Process until it is a smooth mass with a few cashew chunks. Add the hot water and process for a few more seconds.
    • Serve immediately with pasta, potatoes, zucchini noodles or whatever you prefer.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Cavolo Nero Pesto
    Serving Size
     
    1 portion
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    291
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    27
    g
    42
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    25
    %
    Sodium
     
    298
    mg
    13
    %
    Potassium
     
    223
    mg
    6
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    8
    g
    3
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    5
    g
    10
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1195
    IU
    24
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    14.2
    mg
    17
    %
    Calcium
     
    28
    mg
    3
    %
    Iron
     
    1.8
    mg
    10
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Louis Tylor

      June 03, 2016 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, very inventive and a very good use of fresh kale!

      Reply
    2. Callie

      June 03, 2016 at 1:07 pm

      Can you make it nut free?

      Reply
      • Gloria

        June 13, 2016 at 11:57 pm

        You could use sunflower seeds. - Love, G.

        Reply
    3. VeganMom

      June 06, 2016 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is great, the fact that it tastes wonderfully nutty is so nice!

      Reply
    4. Ben

      June 07, 2016 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      That was delicious!

      Reply
    5. Denay DeGuzman

      August 25, 2017 at 6:29 pm

      5 stars
      This beautiful pesto pasta dish looks absolutely amazing! The flavors just jump off the page. I’d love to try your recipe this weekend. We’re having company over for dinner and I know everyone would really enjoy this Cavolo Nero Pesto.

      Reply
    6. Rose

      August 25, 2017 at 7:28 pm

      I knew it was easy to make pesto but I had never made it. I would like to attempt making it.

      Reply
    7. Amber Myers

      August 26, 2017 at 2:06 am

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh, yummy. I love my pasta! I’ve never tired this one before. I must!

      Reply
    8. Ophelia Tang

      August 26, 2017 at 5:48 am

      I love pesto sauce and this looks so delicious. I would love to make it asap. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    9. Anosa

      August 26, 2017 at 6:40 am

      4 stars
      Never tried making a pesto before but this looks awesome and impressive. I am sure the flavours are just something to be desired.

      Reply
    10. Sarah Bailey

      August 26, 2017 at 1:02 pm

      What an interesting sounding recipe, I have to admit I love everything pasta, so I could definitely give this a whirl.

      Reply
    11. Helene Cohen Bludman

      August 26, 2017 at 2:34 pm

      Pesto is one of my favorites! I like the idea of this recipe having less fat than the traditional. Can’t wait to try it.

      Reply
    12. Hannah Marie

      August 26, 2017 at 4:52 pm

      This is the first time I saw from the leaves. We always use ready to use sauces. It looks yummy, I love the recipe!

      Reply
    13. Natalie

      August 26, 2017 at 9:09 pm

      Wow this looks and sounds absolutely delicious. I love coming across new vegan recipes, will have to give it a try.

      Reply
    14. Kim

      August 27, 2017 at 12:55 am

      I’m a huge fan of pesto and I’m loving the color of this one. Can’t wait to give it a try!

      Reply
    15. David Elliott

      August 27, 2017 at 1:39 am

      You had me at Pesto. It looks delicious. And I think cashews are a great alternative nut to use. It looks so delicious.

      Reply
    16. Claudia Krusch

      August 27, 2017 at 3:15 pm

      This dish looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make some this week. I am sure it will be a big hit.

      Reply
    17. Christiana

      August 27, 2017 at 11:25 pm

      5 stars

      What a great recipe. Looks and sounds really healthy. Hope to try it out sometime.

      Reply
    18. Christiana

      August 27, 2017 at 11:30 pm

      What a great recipe. Looks and sounds really healthy and delicious. Hope to try it out sometime.

      Reply
    19. mai nguyen

      August 28, 2017 at 11:14 am

      5 stars
      althoungh i dont like the pesto but it still a amazing recipe to me. thanks for sharing this

      Reply
    20. Nina

      August 28, 2017 at 8:34 pm

      Mmmmm a pesto sounds amazing! I made one homemade years ago. I really should try to do that again.

      Reply
    21. Nicole

      August 29, 2017 at 4:54 pm

      I’ve never tried pesto before, but I’m always willing to try something at least once!! I’ll have to give this a try sometime soon! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    22. Jennifer L

      August 29, 2017 at 11:47 pm

      5 stars

      Wow I’ve never tried making a kale pesto before. I’ve tried basil, cilantro and other herb ones but never a kale. But it sounds absolutely delicious and so appropriate given I have 2 bags of kale ready to make cavolo nero pesto. Yum!

      Reply
    23. Angela

      August 30, 2017 at 3:57 am

      5 stars

      Wow!!! tHIS cAVOLO NERO PESTO LOOKS so good! I need more of this in my life, and I going to pin this for later. Yum!

      Reply
    24. natalie z

      September 11, 2017 at 8:37 am

      I love using all types of fresh greens from our garden. This looks like such a delicious way to use my greens!

      Reply

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