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    Kale Pesto Pasta Salad

    March 8, 2023 by Sara Tercero 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This kale pesto pasta salad is vibrant, flavorful and so delicious. Although it's a summery recipe, this one is good year round to bring some color into your life. It features garden fresh produce like cucumbers, yellow squash, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Cannellini beans bring plant-based protein to the party. The easy blender pesto is made by combining dino kale with Brazil nuts, lemon, garlic and nutritional yeast. The colors in this gorgeous vegan pasta salad make this an ideal salad for bringing to parties and picnics when you want to impress.

    image kale pesto pasta salad

    What is dino kale?

    Dinosaur kale is also known as lacinato kale or tuscan kale. The leaves are a darker green color than regular curly kale. They are bumpy and resemble dinosaur or reptile skin. Dino kale's leaves are thinner and more tender than regular kale making them ideal for raw preparations. They do not require as much massaging and their stems are not as woody. I love using dino kale in this kale pesto pasta salad. The vegan kale pesto is super green and vibrant.

    image kale pesto pasta salad

    How do you make vegan pesto?

    Pesto is made by blending greens with garlic, olive oil and other ingredients. Classic Italian pesto usually includes basil, parmesan and pine nuts. But you can make pesto with any greens. I love to make it with arugula, spinach or kale. Varying the nuts can also create delicious combinations. Since this pesto is vegan, I omit the parmesan and instead opt for nutritional yeast and Brazil nuts to bring the umami flavor. The fresh pop of lemon juice really brings out all the flavor. A high speed blender or a food processor work best for making pesto but an immersion blender can work also.

    Ingredients for Kale Pesto Pasta Salad

    The ingredients for this salad are a combination of garden fresh and pantry staples. The gold bar squash can be replaced with zucchini, broccoli or cauliflower. You can add olives, sundried tomatoes or even capers if the fresh ingredients are not in season. This recipe is extremely versatile. If Brazil nuts are not available you can add cashews or skip the nuts entirely.

    For Salad

    • whole wheat fusilli
    • gold bar squash
    • cucumber
    • cherry tomatoes
    • red onion
    • baby bell peppers
    • cannellini beans
    • artichoke hearts
    • black pepper
    • red pepper flakes

    For Pesto

    • dino kale
    • garlic
    • lemon
    • olive oil
    • brazil nuts
    • salt
    • nutritional yeast

    How to Make Kale Pesto Pasta Salad

    This is a really easy recipe to make. Even though it looks fancy this is a recipe that is suitable for a beginner cook.

    • Cook pasta according to box, add squash for last minute of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water and drain well then add to a large bowl.
    • Make pesto by combining kale, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt, brazil nuts and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth and creamy.
    • Pour pesto on pasta, add beans and chopped vegetables and mix well. Garnish with pepper and red pepper flakes(optional).
    image kale pesto pasta salad

    Other delicious kale recipes

    • Zesty Wild Rice and Kale Salad
    • Orzo and Kale Stew
    • Kale and Bean Salad
    image kale pesto pasta salad

    Kale Pesto Pasta Salad

    This colorful pesto pasta salad is full of garden fresh ingredients and is super easy to make. The kale blender pesto is delicious and vibrant.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Course dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine American, california, vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 426 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For Salad

    • 16 oz whole wheat fusilli
    • 1 gold bar squash
    • 1 cucumber chopped
    • 10 cherry tomatoes halved
    • 3 tbsp red onion diced
    • 3 baby bell peppers diced
    • 15 oz cannellini beans canned, drained
    • 5 artichoke hearts chopped small
    • black pepper to taste
    • red pepper flakes to taste

    For Pesto

    • ½ bunch dino kale
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1 lemon juiced
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 6 ea brazil nuts
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta according to box, add squash for last minute of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water and drain well then add to a large bowl.
    • Make pesto by combining kale, garlic, lemon, olive oil, salt, brazil nuts and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth and creamy.
    • Pour pesto on pasta, add beans and chopped vegetables and mix well. Garnish with pepper and red pepper flakes(optional).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 17gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 367mgPotassium: 415mgFiber: 14gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2930IUVitamin C: 63mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword healthy, pasta, vegetables
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ellie

      June 14, 2023 at 5:57 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and I loved this recipe!! Was easy and delicious. Thanks!

    2. Sara Tercero

      June 16, 2023 at 7:55 am

      I am so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the feedback!

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    About BetterFoodGuru

    image Sara Tercero

    Hi, I am Sara Tercero, the Chef behind BetterFoodGuru. It is my mission to prove that plants are delicious and to help others cook and eat their way to health and happiness. My recipes are inspired by global flavors and my love for eating the rainbow. Reach out on social media or leave a review with feedback!

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