Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese

Back in January I went on a bit of a Kale Pesto kick. Oddly enough, it was all started by a frozen Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese meal that I found in the freezer section, LOL. I was intrigued by the name, and the use of Kale Pesto…that was new to me. I love Basil Pesto, so I was more than willing to give it a try…and to recreate the meal at home…..

I have no idea what they called it Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese, it could have just as easily been called Kale Pesto Pasta. Maybe it’s because of the amount of Feta and Parmesan cheese, who knows, but I do know that it is delicious…and super easy to make!

How to make Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over Medium heat. Add the Kale Pesto, stir until heated through…..

Add the pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and Feta cheese. Toss to combine and cook just until heated through…..

Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, toss to combine and serve…..

I followed the list of ingredients on the box; kale pesto, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, Feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. I believe the original used whole-wheat pasta, but I had a box of gluten-free in the pantry {I have no idea why} and it worked perfectly. I may be biased, but I do believe that my version actually tastes better than the original, and serves a whole family for  much less than the cost of the frozen meals. 🙂

I served mine as a main course, but it would also be perfect served along side Roast Chicken or Spice Rubbed Salmon…Yum!

More delicious pesto based recipes:

Shrimp Pesto Pizza

Shrimp Pesto with Pasta or Rice

Greens Pizza

Grilled Chicken and Peach Pesto Pizza

Basil Pesto recipe

Why didn’t I think to add shrimp to the Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese?? Oh well, maybe next time. 😉

Enjoy!!

Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese

Kale Pesto Mac and Cheese is a healthy meal that is sure to be a hit with the entire family!

0 from 0 votes

Print

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pasta, kale, pesto, basil, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 562kcal

Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

• 1 Pound pasta cooked and drained, reserving 1/2 cup of liquid
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup Kale Pesto (or you can substitute basil pesto)
• 1/2 cup crumbed Feta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes diced or cut into thin strips

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over Medium heat.
• Add the Kale Pesto, stir until heated through.
• Add the pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, reserved cooking liquid, and Feta cheese. Toss to combine and cook just until heated through.
• Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, toss to combine and serve.

Notes

Kale Pesto recipe

Basil Pesto recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 562kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 638mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 20.3% | Vitamin C: 4.4% | Calcium: 21.6% | Iron: 12.2%