This Kale Pesto Pizza offers double the kale with a garlicky kale-pecan pesto and crispy kale chips on top of this addictive veggie pizza! There’s a super easy vegan and gluten free option!
So here’s the thing: I can always never say no to a pizza. I’ve pretty much had every variety; pizza bites, gluten free pizza, vegan pizza, raw vegan pizza, pizza with fruit, grilled pizza…the possibilities are endless. I’ve had pizza straight out of a wood fire pizza oven in Italy, and made insanely fresh and divine in the hills. Does this mean I’m a pizza expert? I don’t know, but it means I LOVE pizza and would have it daily if possible. Let me tell you, this Kale Pesto Pizza is so good. I’m talking, I had to hide what slices I couldn’t stuff down so that I could enjoy leftover pizza the next day. Madness. Truly. The combination of garlicky kale pesto + crispy kale, cheese, farm fresh tomatoes and good dough was a real show stopper. Set this recipe aside for pizza night. Your guests will love you for it!
Truth is, and if you follow me on Instagram you’ll know, I’ve been promising this Kale Pesto Pizza recipe. Since. Last. Year. I know, I know. I kept waiting for the ‘right time’ but is there ever a wrong time for pizza? Exactly. Pizza time is always the right time.
I’ve been making the kale pesto for a few years now, and it seemed like the perfect addition. I usually use pistachios and pine nuts, but only had pecans on hand. I actually love the texture. It is perfect for the pizza! You can even make it ahead if you so desire. I love to roast the garlic that’s in it, but it isn’t mandatory. The kale on top of the pizza is a no brainer. At 500F degrees in the oven, the automatically transform into crispy kale chips. I love to drizzle the pizza with a bit of olive oil first to help the chips crisp up even more.
Remember that you have total flexibility when it comes to this Kale Pesto Pizza. Add more kale, or even less tomatoes. My measurements are for what I love. You could even add MORE garlic, which gives it even more flavour! Eggplant would also taste amazing here. All in all, enjoy the pizza. P.S. I love to scatter some cheese over the crust since it gets kind of crispy, which I die for. I ‘healthified’ my go to crust so that you’ll also feel good knowing you’re putting in a whole lot of good ingredients while chowing down this pizza.
If you try this Kale Pesto Pizza please let me know in the comment section below, or tag me on instagram with the hashtag #jessicainthekitchen! For more exclusive recipes follow me on Instagram AND on Snapchat: jessinkitchen.
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Such a wholesome pizza! I love that kale pesto, Jessica. What are the vegan shreds?
Thanks Angie!! Vegan mozzarella shreds, like from daiya or other vegan companies!
Made this today! I had to replace the kale with spinach (totally thought I had kale). Nonetheless, I enjoyed it!! Thanks!
I’m SO glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your feedback O! 🙂
Made this – it was great! I used walnuts because that’s all I had, and needed more oil to make my pesto a good texture. I also used roasted tomatoes instead of fresh, because my kids like them better. I topped it with the kale and also roasted red pepper, and regular mozzarella. It was so delicious!! I’ll definitely make this again, it’s one of the few veggie filled meals my kids actually ate!
I made this pizza last night, and boy, was it delicious! I did do a few things differently to use what I had on hand. Namely, I roasted a head of garlic and mashed it up and mixed with some premade basil pesto that I had leftover. I also added some pine nuts towards the end of the cooking time to roast a little bit. I cooked the pizza on a pizza screen for about 12 minutes. I will probably take a minute or two off next time. I will definitely be making this again, and next time I will be sure to make the kale pesto!