Kale Pesto Pizza - Pizza without Tomato Sauce

Kale Pesto Pizza: A classic and delicious pizza recipe made using homemade kale pesto and toppings of your choice. Perfect for a weeknight meal. Adding kale pesto instead of the marinara sauce gives your pizza a vibrant green color and unique flavor.

While you are here, also check our pizza recipes without tomato sauce: classic white pizza (pizza bianca) and mushroom pizza with caramelized onions.

Recipe card

Kale Pesto Pizza | Pizza without Tomato Sauce

Kushi

Kale Pesto Pizza: A classic and delicious pizza recipe made using homemade kale pesto and toppings of your choice. Perfect for a weeknight meal. Adding kale pesto instead of the marinara sauce gives your pizza a vibrant green color and unique flavor.

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 206 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Baking pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For kale pesto

• ▢ 3 cups Kale chopped roughly
• ▢ ½ cup Nuts pecan, walnuts, cashews, or almonds - any one or combine your favorite
• ▢ ¼ cup Parmesan
• ▢ 3 Garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ Pepper to taste
• ▢ ¼ cup Olive oil

For kale pizza (add your favorite pizza toppings)

• ▢ Homemade pizza dough or Store-bought
• ▢ Kale pesto
• ▢ 1 to 2 cups Mozzarella cheese add as needed
• ▢ 1 Onion sliced lengthwise
• ▢ ½ Tomato chopped optional
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Olive oil more for garnish
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

 

Homemade kale pesto

• In a blender or food processor, add Kale, nuts, parmesan, garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and turn on the blender. Slowly drizzle olive oil and blend until you get the desired consistency of pesto, scraping down the sides as needed.
  3 cups Kale, ½ cup Nuts, ¼ cup Parmesan, 3 Garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, Salt, Pepper, ¼ cup Olive oil
• Taste check and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Kale Pizza

• Heat tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and saute till it becomes caramelized and golden brown.
  1 teaspoon Olive oil, 1 Onion
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease the baking pan with olive oil or line it with parchment paper.
• Roll the pizza dough into 12-inch pizza or 2 smaller 9-inch pizza dough to the desired thickness.
  Homemade pizza dough
• Spread the kale pesto onto the rolled pizza dough, add mozzarella cheese, sauteed onion, and tomatoes.
  Kale pesto, 1 to 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, ½ Tomato chopped
• Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil and add some grated Parmesan.
  2 tablespoon Parmesan
• Bake for about 12 minutes or until the crust becomes golden and the cheese turns bubbly.
• Let the pizza rest for 4-5 minutes before serving. You can top it with pepper flakes if desired.
• Serve with a glass of wine, and enjoy.

Notes

• For the pesto, add nuts of your choice. Traditionally, pine nuts are used in pesto, but cashews, pecans, and almonds are good replacements.
• You can rub 1 cup of chopped Kale with 1 tablespoon olive oil and add it on top of the pizza before baking. 
• Instead of tomatoes, mushrooms can also be added. 

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 7gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 174mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2705IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 199mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ingredients

For kale pesto

Kale: Use any variety of kale you like.
Nuts: You can add walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, cashews, and almonds or combine them all.
Garlic: Fresh, roasted, or garlic powder will work.
Olive oil: For its robust flavor and aroma.
Pepper, salt, and lemon juice to taste.

For kale pizza

Homemade or store-bought pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, and caramelized onions are needed. You can add olives, tomatoes, mushrooms, and bell peppers if desired.

Homemade kale pesto

• In a blender or food processor, add Kale, nuts, parmesan, garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and turn on the blender. Slowly drizzle olive oil and blend until you get the desired consistency of pesto, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Taste check and adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Kale pizza

• Heat tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions and saute till it becomes caramelized and golden brown. 
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease the baking pan with olive oil or line it with parchment paper. 
• Roll the pizza dough into 12-inch pizza or 2 smaller 9-inch pizza dough to the desired thickness. 
• Spread the kale pesto onto the rolled pizza dough, add mozzarella cheese, sauteed onion, and tomatoes. 
• Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil and add some grated Parmesan.
• Bake for about 12 minutes or until the crust becomes golden and the cheese turns bubbly. 
• Let the pizza rest for 4-5 minutes before serving. You can top it with pepper flakes if desired. 
• Serve with a glass of wine, and enjoy. 

Tips

• For the pesto, add nuts of your choice. Traditionally, pine nuts are used in pesto, but cashews, pecans, and almonds are good replacements.
• You can rub 1 cup of chopped Kale with 1 tablespoon olive oil and add it on top of the pizza before baking. 
• Instead of tomatoes, mushrooms can also be added. 

Store and reheat leftovers

Slice and store any leftovers wrapped in foil or airtight conatiner for 3 to 4 days. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and reheat until heated through.

More Pizza recipes

Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Note: We originally posted this kale pesto pizza in Nov 2015. It has now been modified in March 2024 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.