Kale stem pesto 🥬

Kale leaves can be used in quick stir-fries, soups, vegetable rice or even roasted in the oven until crispy. The stems, which often end up forgotten, get a new life here as a rustic, flavour-packed pesto.

It’s an excellent way to avoid waste and create a versatile condiment with an intense vegetal flavour. Kale, which you found in your Equal Food box, is still a bit of a mystery for many people, especially when it comes to the stems — but here we show their full potential.

You’ll need…

• Kale stems, cut into small pieces

• Olive oil

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 tablespoon sunflower or pumpkin seeds

• Lemon juice

• Salt and pepper

• A handful of fresh herbs (parsley or coriander)

Lightly boil the stems for about one minute, just to soften them. Drain and let them cool. Blend with olive oil, garlic, seeds, lemon juice, salt, pepper and fresh herbs until you get a creamy but rustic texture. Adjust the consistency with more olive oil if needed.

You can serve it with hot pasta, toss it through roasted vegetables, use it as a base for toast or even as a sauce for roasted sweet potato.

The stems become softer after the brief cooking while keeping kale’s characteristic vegetal flavour. The seeds add body, the lemon brings freshness and the olive oil ties everything together. It’s a quick solution to turn what would be discarded into a versatile, flavourful sauce.