Roasted Kale Pesto Primavera

 Ingredients

  • 5 Cups Kale, chopped 

  • 10 Cloves Garlic

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive oil (or vegetable broth for oil free option)

  • 1/4 Cup Vegetable broth 

  • 1/4 Cup Walnuts

  • Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

  • Pinch of Red pepper flakes

  • Salt and Pepper to taste

  • 16 oz. dry Penne Pasta

  • Salt

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1/2 medium red onion, sliced

  • 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into matchsticks

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks

  • 1 medium yellow squash, sliced into quarter portions

  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced into quarter portions

  • 3 - 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 cup (heaping) grape tomatoes, halved through the length

  • 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

  • 1/4 cup pasta water

  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan, divided

  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

  • Parmesan for topping

 How To Make This Recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

  2. In a large bowl, toss the chopped kale and garlic cloves with the olive oil (or if you want an all oil free option, use veggie broth) and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Rub the olive oil all over the kale and massage it in to make sure the kale is all moist. 

  3. Pour the kale and garlic on to a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. The kale should be nice and soft. Remove from the oven when done.

  4. Once the kale and garlic are done, add them to a blender or a food processor. Then add, the 1/4 cup of veggie broth, walnuts, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt and red pepper flakes. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Place to the side once blended

  5. In the meantime, Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook penne pasta in salted water according to package directions, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

  6. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a 12-inch (and deep) skillet over medium-high heat.

  7. Add red onions and sauté 2 minutes.

  8. Add broccoli and bell pepper then sauté 2 minutes.

  9. Add squash and zucchini then sauté 2 - 3 minutes or until veggies have nearly softened. 

  10. Add garlic, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning and sauté 2 minutes longer.

  11. Pour veggies into now empty pasta pot or a serving bowl, add drained pasta, drizzle in lemon juice, season with a little more salt as needed and toss while adding in pasta water to loosen as desired.

  12. Toss in 1/4 cup parmesan and roasted kale pesto. Toss to coat the pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning then serve with remaining parmesan on top.

 

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