Vegan Pesto Pasta With Kale Recipes

SUPER KALE PESTO

Steps:

• Make the pesto: In a food processor, add the peeled garlic cloves and process until the garlic is minced. Add the kale, hemp seeds, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the oil. Process until the pesto reaches your desired consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste and add more lemon, salt or pepper if necessary. (You can thin out the pesto with more oil, but if you're serving with pasta, keep in mind that you can also thin it out with reserved pasta cooking water.)
• Cook the pasta (optional): Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve one cup cooking liquid before draining the pasta. Let the pasta and pasta water cool for a minute to make sure the high heat doesn't damage the flax oil pesto.
• If you intend to have leftovers, transfer the amount of pasta you think you'll be eating immediately to a serving bowl and mix in pesto with splashes of cooking water. Otherwise, you can mix the pasta and pesto together in your cooking pot, adding splashes of cooking water as necessary. Keep in mind that you have diluted the flavor a bit with the cooking water, so taste and add more lemon, salt or a drizzle of olive oil as necessary.

FRESH VEGAN KALE PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Begin by making the pesto. Remove the tender kale from the stems, set the stems aside or compost them. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and blanch the kale for a few seconds, or until the kale is bright green. Set the kale aside to cool.
• Once the kale is cool, squeeze the water out so that the kale leaves are nice and dry. Add the kale, hemp hearts, oil, garlic, yeast, water, lemon juice and sea salt in a food processor. Puree until well combined and no large leaves of kale remain.
• Get the pasta on, cooking as required.
• Next, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a few tsp. of cooking oil along with the broccoli. Toss the broccoli so that you get some charred areas. Add a few tbsp. of water if the broccoli starts to stick. Continue to cook, string often, until the broccoli is tender, but not mushy, about 8 minutes.
• Once the broccoli is cooked, add the rinsed chickpeas and toss until they are warmed.
• Drain the pasta and combine in the frying pan along with the broccoli and pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Top with hemp hearts, chili flakes, or grated brazil nuts.

VEGAN KALE-PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale ribs and stems, cashews and basil stems. Boil for 10 minutes, then add the kale leaves and cook until tender but not mushy, another 5 minutes. Add the basil leaves and stir just to submerge. Turn off the heat, then use a slotted spoon to transfer everything but the cooking liquid to a blender. (Don't drain the pot; you'll use that water to cook the pasta.) Set the blender aside to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, return the pot of water to a boil; add more water if a lot evaporated in Step 1. Add the pasta and cook until tender (or according to box directions).
• To the blender, add ½ cup water, the garlic and the red-pepper flakes. Blend on high until very smooth. Season to taste with salt.
• Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot and add the green sauce. Stir vigorously to combine, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the noodles. (Sauce will thicken as it cools.) Add the lemon juice, season to taste with salt and red-pepper flakes, and eat right away.

VEGAN KALE PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to the boil. Cook the kale for 30 secs, drain and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water for 5 mins. Drain again and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Put the basil, garlic, seeds, oil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and zest, and drained kale in a food processor. Blitz until smooth, then season. Loosen with a splash of water, if it's too thick.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then toss with the pesto and serve.