Are you ready to dance? A better question is: Are your taste buds ready for a flavor party? This raw vegan kale pesto with pumpkin seeds is a blissful bowl of green goodness! This delightful twist on a classic pesto is not only a beautiful sight to behold, but also a powerhouse of flavor and nutrients that goes great on zoodles or as a dip for raw veggie sticks. You may find that you prefer this pesto to an unhealthy, processed jarred pesto sauce! And that jarred sauce belongs in one place: the garbage!
Kale is a super green that offers an earthy, robust flavor and an assortment of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, & K, an abundance of fiber, magnesium, iron, and calcium. It harmonizes with the creamy nuttiness of raw pumpkin seeds, or pepitas. Pumpkin seeds contain heart-healthy fats, protein, and good amount of magnesium. Those little green seeds add great texture to this pesto, in addition to helping you feel full and happy.
One of the traditional ingredients in pesto is parmesan cheese, which you cannot enjoy on a raw vegan diet. That’s why you use nutritional yeast to help achieve that signature cheesy flavor from classic pesto recipes. Nutritional yeast, in addition to offering a cheesy flavor, is packed with necessary vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, which can be difficult to get on a vegan or raw vegan diet.
- Prep Time:5m
- Total Time:5m
- Serves: 8 servings
- Yield: 1.25 cups
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Condiments, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 2 c kale leaves, stems removed
- 1 c raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 c nutritional yeast
- 3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients (except the olive oil) to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed to ensure even blending.
- While blending, drizzle in the olive oil gradually until it reaches your desired consistency. You can add a little less or more olive oil as needed. Some people like smoother or chunkier pesto sauces.
- Serve and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within three days.
