We’re never too old for a simple slice of cheese pizza, but the best part of being an adult might actually be the whole new world of pizza toppings we open ourselves up to. Seriously — you probably started to order veggies, and even things like pears, on your pizza somewhere around the time you got excited you could pay all your bills on time.
Since then, you’ve never looked back.
The great pizza awakening also means you no longer need red sauce to consider it a proper pie, so I don’t need to tell you that pesto can go on pizza. But wait! What if I said that this pesto can be made of kale — the ultimate adult vegetable — and you’re going to love it!
My friends (adults when they want to be) were shocked to find out my pesto sauce was made with kale instead of the basic basil they were expecting, but they gave it rave reviews. It’s rustic, delicious, and will definitely make you appreciate how far your adult tastebuds have taken you — especially when you know you can enjoy it with a few glasses of wine.
Kale Pesto Pizza
Ingredients
- 3 cups kale, washed and stems removed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces or pine nuts
- 3 tbsp olive oil + more
- 5-6 cloves of roasted garlic
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 ready-made pizza dough of your preference
- 1-2 cups of fresh grated mozzarella
- 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped kale
- 1 tsp crush red pepper flakes
Directions
- In a high-powered blender or food processor, add kale, basil, nuts, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Scrap down the sides as necessary. Pulse or blend for about 30 seconds or until desired consistency is reached. (Add more olive oil if you prefer a thinner sauce. I find a slightly thicker one works best for pizza.)
- Preheat pizza oven or oven to 500 degrees F.
- Spread out dough for crust on pizza stone or cooking surface. Generously spoon pesto over the crust. Top with tomato slices and mozzarella. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Add chopped kale pieces last for a nice crispy bite.
- Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is cooked and golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes. Slice and enjoy!
Seen above:
If you eat a lot of pizza, try out this easy pizza maker. They’re perfectly done in no time!
Also see, All you can eat pizza festival runs out of pizza.
