This easy to make, healthy, no cook and super delicious avocado and kale pesto pasta sauce will be a repeat in your kitchen; that good!
WHAT IS PESTO?
Pesto is basically a fresh and thick Italian sauce (chutney like) with a puree of fresh basil leaves, pine nuts (chilgoza in Hindi), lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, coarse salt, olive oil and a couple of garlic cloves. All you need is to puree them in a blender or food processor until smooth and thick. I would say, it is close to something like Indian coriander/cilantro chutney that we make but without the nuts and oil.
USING AVOCADOS AND KALE (AND/OR OTHER GREENS) IN PESTO SAUCE:
Kale pesto? Yes, kale! It is one of the most wondrous green leafy vegetables that has found itself at the top of many a grocery list for its low calories and high nutrient content. Ever since I found this in my grocery store, I always make sure to buy a large bunch to enjoy in salads, parathas, smoothies etc. If you cannot find or do not like kale, spinach is a good substitute. Avocado pesto? Yes, with avocados! This heart healthy wonder food chock full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids etc. needs to be on everyone’s plate either as a fresh fruit (yes, it is a fruit) in salads/sauces, as guacamole or in parathas, smoothies, ice creams etc. The creaminess of a ripe avocado lends itself to a perfect sauce consistency in this pesto. With a large bunch of kale already in my fridge, and of course, a couple of avocados just ripe enough to use up, I could not wait to use it up in making one of my much awaited to-make dishes – avocado pesto pasta!
USING KALE AND AVOCADO IN A VEGAN PESTO SAUCE:
Like I said, I love kale and avocado and nothing better to use it up in than in a pesto sauce; blended, it is fresh, quick to make and needs no cooking or frying! This ensures you get all the nutrients that generally reduce during any cooking process. Instead of basil leaves, I have used up about 2 cups of roughly chopped kale leaves. You could substitute spinach leaves too instead if you cannot find kale. But if you have some basil leaves, feel free to add some too. I am trying to go mostly vegan in my diet, so of course the cheese is out, but avocado is a perfect substitution for the creaminess that cheese could bring in any sauce! You will never miss the cheese!
OTHER BASIC PESTO INGREDIENTS:
Instead of the traditional pine nuts, I wanted to use walnuts (just bought a big bag to shower my salads with!). You could substitute with cashew, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or even almonds instead. Garlic is a must for any pesto. Just blitz it in along with other ingredients of which olive oil is the most important. Try to use any good quality olive oil. Of course, then there is salt and lemon juice; duh! For a spicy kick, I have added one green chili/Serrano pepper. You could use black pepper powder instead too. Blend all these fresh ingredients until you get a fairly smooth paste, adjusting the flavors along the way to suit your palate.
That is it! Use it up right away or store in an airtight bottle/jar for up to a week.
PESTO PASTA:
Once the pesto is ready, all you need to do is stir it up in your favorite pasta; for a more healthier option, use whole wheat or multigrain pasta. It could be spaghetti, penne, spiral, macaroni, shell etc. Just make sure it is not too big like shell pasta etc. Mix in as much or as little as you want. Time-saver hint: While the pasta is cooking, you can make the fresh kale-avocado pesto sauce and once the pasta is ready, you are ready to dig in to a big bowl of pesto pasta, all ready in under 30 minutes!
Now, isn’t this is a super easy, super healthy, super fresh and super tasting pasta you can make and enjoy with your whole family? I know my family loves it! I still have half a jar of pesto in my fridge along with cooked pasta which I can mix up anytime for a quick meal or snack! Just heat up the pasta and stir in the required amount of pesto to combine well; dig in; a boon for working people! Stir in chopped tomatoes, sprinkle sunflower seeds or add any other vegetable for a whole and sumptuous meal! This delicious, fresh and super tasty AVOCADO AND KALE PESTO PASTA sauce is so versatile, you could use it in pastas, on sandwiches, in salads or even as a dip for veggies/bread etc.!
UPDATED MAY 18, 2021:
Made another batch of this super delicious avocado and kale pasta with some spinach leaves and basil leaves blended in! Used farfelle pasta here and stirred in some halved cherry tomatoes.
Happy Cooking Foodie friends!
Here are some more pasta dishes we love:
Spaghetti with Chunky Tomato Sauce Rainbow Garden Pasta Salad Mushroom and Spinach Macaroni Lasagna Spinach Lasagna Rolls
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Cook Time: 15 minutes
2 cups penne pasta 2 cups packed, roughly chopped kale leaves (washed and drained) 1 large ripe avocado ¼ cup walnuts 1 small lemon/lime or half a large lemon/lime juice 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 large green chili/jalapeno pepper (or crushed red chilies); optional 3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil (or more according to personal preference) Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper (optional; I have used only green chilies)
Instructions Notes Pestos are not only for pastas; you can use them up in sandwiches, as dips, on pizzas (instead of tomato sauce), in salads etc. Use any kind of pasta you love; it could be spaghetti, macaroni, spiral, rigatone, shell etc. Instead of walnuts, you can use cashews, sunflower seeds, almonds etc. For best results and taste, use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) but if you cannot find it, regular refined oil will do. If you love cheese, stir in 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese while making the pesto and serve with a sprinkle of more Parmesan! If you like my posts and recipes, do not forget to Pin, Share, comment in the box below or like my Facebook page For more such easy and delicious recipes, follow me on: Facebook @ curryandvanilla Pinterest @ curryandvanilla Instagram @ curryandvanilla16 Twitter @ curryandvanilla Google Plus @ Vanitha Bhat Have fun cooking, eating and sharing!!!
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