Servings: 6 Servings
Kale Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Broccoli
Kale Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Broccoli is a magically flavorful and nutritious side dish for any event!
Ingredients
- 1 12-ounce box gluten-free penne pasta
- 1 medium crown broccoli chopped into florets
- 1 cup kale pesto sauce recipe below
- 1 bunch green onion chopped
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and patted dry
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Kale Pesto Sauce:
- 4 cups kale leaves packed
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- ½ cup pine nuts or more walnuts
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese optional*
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the Kale Pesto Sauce:
- Prepare the kale pesto sauce by adding all of the ingredients except for the olive oil to a food processor. Pulse a few times to roughly chop all of the ingredients. Leaving the food processor on, drizzle the olive oil slowly through the top, until it’s completely incorporated. Transfer pesto sauce to a jar and refrigerate until ready to use (Note: Pesto can be made up to 4 days in advance)
Prepare the Pasta Salad:
- Bring a full pot of water to a boil and add the pasta and broccoli florets. Cook according to the instructions on the package of pasta (Note: I usually cook gluten-free pasta for 1 to 2 minutes less than the package specifies, because I like my pasta very al dente), or until both pasta and broccoli reach desired doneness. Strain the pasta and broccoli and rinse with lukewarm water. Set aside to cool. Once cool, chop the broccoli florets finely and place both pasta and broccoli in a large serving bowl.
- Add the green onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and sea salt to the serving bowl along with 1 cup of the kale pesto (save remaining kale pesto for future uses). Toss everything together until pasta is well coated.
- Taste for flavor and add more sea salt or pesto to taste. Serve with freshly grated asiago cheese.
Notes
*You can also use cider vinegar, white vinegar, or red wine vinegar
**To make vegan, omit the cheese and add 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast. If you don't follow a vegetarian diet, you can replace the asiago with parmesan.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 6, Calories: 464kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 28g, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 4g
https://www.theroastedroot.net/kale-pesto-pasta-salad/