Green Goddess Pesto

Are you growing a garden this year?

I have so many things growing - banana peppers, rosemary, thyme, oregano, heirloom tomatoes, spicy peppers, and more.

But my favorite three things in my garden are basil, spinach, and kale.

They're foods that I eat weekly, and growing them myself is cheaper, convenient, and better for the enviornment.

So when my plants grew like crazy after the rain we've been getting in Columbus, I knew I needed to make something with my three favorite garden staples.

Combined with garlic, parmesan, sunflower seeds, and olive oil, the basil, spinach and kale creates what I call Green Goddess Pesto.

It's cheaper than regular pesto - sunflower seeds are waaaay cheaper than pine nuts!

It also has higher nutritional value with the addition of kale and spinach. And the best part? It tastes just like regular pesto!

I was so happy with how this recipe turned out and I already can't wait to incorporate this into my weekly meal prep planning.

You'll definitely need a food processor for this recipe - it's the easiest way to make this delicious sauce.

I served it with some sautéed tomatoes with balsamic, olive oil, garlic, and salt. It was delish. You can serve this pasta with any roasted veggies, protein, or just enjoy it plain. I'll definitely be eating this with some crusty bread in the near future.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 2 big handfuls each of kale, spinach, and basil
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 4 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• pinch of sea salt

Green Goddess Pesto Directions

Boil a large pot of salted water. When water is at a rolling boil, cook pasta according to al dente package directions.

Combine kale, spinach, basil, and olive oil in a food processor. Blend on high for 2 minutes, until the greens are mostly broken down.

Add sunflower seeds, garlic parmesan, and a pinch of sea salt to the food processor. Blend on high, until all ingredients are combined and the sauce is smooth.

If needed, add a little more olive oil and blend more to create a smoother sauce. Serve over fresh pasta.

Green Goddess Pesto

Christina Musgrave

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 399.34 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb pasta
• 2 big handfuls each of kale spinach, and basil
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 4 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

 

• Boil a large pot of salted water. When water is at a rolling boil, cook pasta according to al dente package directions.
• Combine kale, spinach, basil, and olive oil in a food processor. Blend on high for 2 minutes, until the greens are mostly broken down.
• Add sunflower seeds, garlic parmesan, and a pinch of sea salt to the food processor. Blend on high, until all ingredients are combined and the sauce is smooth.
• If needed, add a little more olive oil and blend more to create a smoother sauce. Serve over drained pasta.