Description
A vibrant and savory pizza featuring homemade nutty kale pesto, melted mozzarella, and crispy kale chips on top.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups packed Lacinato kale, ribs removed and chopped
- 2 cups grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- 1 pound pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for topping
- 1 cup chopped kale (for topping)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- I start by preheating my oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it is blazing hot for the crust. If I am using a baking stone or steel, I place it on the top rack of the oven now so it has plenty of time to absorb the heat, which is crucial for a crispy bottom. While the oven warms up, I take my dough out to rest at room temperature, making it much easier to stretch later.
- To make the pesto, I combine the roughly chopped Lacinato kale, pecans, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper in my food processor. I pulse the machine while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until the mixture breaks down into a thick, vibrant green sauce. I always taste it at this stage and add a splash more lemon or salt if the flavors need to pop a bit more.
- I roll out the pizza dough on a large sheet of parchment paper, aiming for a thin and even circle. I spread the kale pesto generously over the dough, leaving just a small border for the crust, and then sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. The parchment paper makes it incredibly easy to transfer the entire assembly into the oven without making a mess.
- Before baking, I toss the remaining chopped kale in a small bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. I use my fingers to massage the oil into the leaves, ensuring they are lightly coated, then distribute these greens over the cheese layer. I slide the pizza (with the parchment) onto the hot stone or baking sheet and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden and the kale chips on top are crispy.
Notes
If you don’t have pecans, walnuts work beautifully, or use pumpkin seeds for a nut-free version. Leftover pesto is excellent on pasta.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Resting Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: Kale Pesto Pizza, vegetarian pizza recipe, homemade pesto, healthy pizza dinner, green pizza