Today I am sharing this vegan kale pesto dinner recipe I made yesterday that is nut-free and packed with greens. I love serving a healthy vegan pesto with wholemeal pasta to my kids as I know it is one of their favourite dish and they get extra greens.
I made the vegan pesto using my new Vitamix (gifted to me) and I also made vegan parmesan using brazil nuts for a dose of selenium for thyroid health!
Too many people think that eating pasta is unhealthy but a healthy vegan pesto make a very healthy plant-based dinner.
I also love the convenience for a quick and healthy mid week dinner! You could also add green peas, lentils or other vegetables.
You can substitute the kale in this vegan kale pesto for baby spinach and you can substitute the sunflower seeds for pine nuts, almonds or other nuts if you can have nuts. I often make my pesto nut-free just so I can give the kids leftover pesto pasta in their lunchboxes (their schools have a nut-free policy).
You can use the pesto with brown rice pasta, zucchini pasta, legume pastas or wholemeal pastas. It can also be used in vegan cheese toasties, with potatoes, in salads and more….
Below is the vegan kale pesto recipe! Make sure to bookmark this recipe
Table of Contents
Vegan Kale Pesto Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale leaves or sub for baby spinach
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 cup sunflower seeds (or nuts of choice)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp olive oil or sub for extra water to make it oil-free
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients together and combine with cooked pasta of choice. Top with vegan parmesan.
Approximate Total Nutrient Profile for this Entire Recipe
| Nutrient | Approximate Total Amount | Main Contributors |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | ~2,120 k cal | Pasta (~800 k cal), Sunflower Seeds (~820 k cal), Olive Oil (~360 kcal) |
| Protein | ~66–67 g | Fusilli Pasta (~28 g), Sunflower Seeds (~29 g), Nutritional Yeast (~5 g) |
| Total Fat | ~114–115 g | Sunflower Seeds (~70 g), Olive Oil (~40 g) |
| – Saturated Fat | ~10–12 g | Olive Oil (≈6 g) and a small amount from seeds |
| Carbohydrates | ~213 g | Fusilli Pasta (~160 g), Sunflower Seeds & Kale (~53 g combined) |
| – Dietary Fiber | ~22–23 g | Sunflower Seeds (~10 g), Pasta (~7 g), Kale & Basil (~5–6 g combined) |
| – Sugars | ~10–12 g | Naturally occurring in Kale, Basil, and Lemon Juice |
| Sodium | ~1,150–1,300 mg* | Added Salt (about ½ tsp) and minor amounts from other ingredients |
* Adjust based on actual salt use.
Micro-nutrients (Vitamins & Minerals)
Below is an approximate breakdown of key vitamins and minerals from the combined recipe.
| Vitamin/Mineral | Approximate Total | Key Contributors |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | ~1,500 IU | Kale (≈1,000 IU) and Basil (≈500 IU) |
| Vitamin C | ~105–110 mg | Kale (≈80 mg), Lemon Juice (≈18 mg), plus a little from Basil and Garlic |
| Vitamin E | ~40 mg | Sunflower Seeds (≈35 mg) and Olive Oil (≈5–6 mg) |
| Vitamin K | ~970 µg | Kale (≈547 µg) and Basil (≈414 µg); very small amounts from Olive Oil |
| B Vitamins | ||
| – Thiamin (B₁) | ~0.3–0.4 mg | Nutritional Yeast (~0.2 mg) and Pasta trace amounts |
| – Riboflavin (B₂) | ~0.4–0.5 mg | Nutritional Yeast (≈0.3 mg) and Pasta |
| – Niacin (B₃) | ~3–3.5 mg | Nutritional Yeast (≈2.5 mg) and contributions from Pasta |
| – Vitamin B₆ | ~0.5 mg | Nutritional Yeast (≈0.2 mg) and Garlic (≈0.1 mg) with small amounts from Pasta |
| – Folate | ~200–220 µg | Nutritional Yeast (≈180 µg) plus a little from Kale |
| – Vitamin B₁₂ | ~2.4 µg | Nutritional Yeast (if fortified) |
| Calcium | ~300 mg | Kale (≈90–100 mg), Basil, and Sunflower Seeds (minor contribution) |
| Iron | ~6–7 mg | Pasta (≈2 mg), Sunflower Seeds (≈2.7 mg), Kale (≈1.1 mg), and Basil |
| Magnesium | ~420–425 mg | Sunflower Seeds (≈325 mg) dominate, with small amounts from Pasta, Kale, and Basil |
| Phosphorus | ~600–650 mg | Sunflower Seeds (≈400 mg), Pasta, and Kale contribute |
| Potassium | ~1,000 mg | Kale (≈330 mg), Sunflower Seeds (≈300 mg), Lemon Juice, Pasta and Basil contribute |
| Zinc | ~4 mg | Sunflower Seeds (≈2.4 mg) and Pasta (≈1–1.5 mg) with a touch from Kale |
| Copper | ~0.6 mg | Sunflower Seeds (≈0.5 mg) and trace amounts from Kale |
| Manganese | ~3.3 mg | Sunflower Seeds (≈1.9 mg), Kale (≈0.9 mg), and Basil (≈0.5 mg) |
| Selenium | ~75–80 µg | Sunflower Seeds (≈60 µg) and Pasta (≈15 µg) |
How Each Ingredient Contributes
- Fusilli Pasta (8 oz dry):
• Primary Source of Carbohydrates: Provides the bulk of calories from starch and most of the carbohydrate grams.
• Protein: Contributes roughly one‐third of the overall protein content.
• B Vitamins & Minerals: Supplies modest amounts of iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins. - Sunflower Seeds (1 cup):
• Fats & Protein: Main contributor for healthy fats (especially polyunsaturated fats) and nearly half the protein.
• Micro nutrients: Provides large amounts of vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, copper, and manganese.
• Fiber: Adds significant insoluble fiber. - Olive Oil (3 tbsp):
• Healthy Fats: A rich source of monounsaturated fats, which also add to the calorie total.
• Minor Vitamins: Supplies additional vitamin E and trace vitamin K. - Leafy Greens (Kale 1 cup & Basil 1 bunch):
• Vitamins: Very high in vitamin K and a good source of vitamins A and C.
• Antioxidants: Contribute phytonutrients and additional fiber. - Nutritional Yeast (1/4 cup):
• B Vitamins: A major source of B vitamins, including folate and, if fortified, vitamin B₁₂.
• Protein: Adds extra protein and a cheesy flavor. - Garlic (1 clove) & Lemon Juice (from ½ lemon):
• Flavor & Nutrients: Contribute small amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B₆, and manganese while enhancing flavor.
• Additional Micronutrients: Provide minor boosts in antioxidants and phytonutrients. - Water, Salt, & Pepper:
• Water: Used for blending and cooking; does not add calories.
• Salt: Provides sodium (the amount can be adjusted to taste).
• Pepper: Offers flavor along with trace minerals.
Per‑Serving Estimates (Assuming 4 Servings)
Dividing the total nutrient amounts by 4 gives approximate per‑serving values:
- Calories: ~530 kcal
- Protein: ~16–17 g
- Total Fat: ~29 g (with ~2.5–3 g saturated)
- Carbohydrates: ~53 g (with ~5–6 g fiber)
- Sodium: ~290–325 mg (depending on salt used)
Micro-nutrient values per serving would be roughly one‑fourth of the totals shown above.
If you have questions leave me a comment below .