↑

Scrummy Lane

Quick & easy family friendly recipes

  • Home
  • About & contact
    • Privacy policy for Scrummy Lane
  • Recipe Index
  • healthy
  • Easy dinners
  • Easy desserts
  • Greek recipes

Subscribe Today!

+ GET 5 'BEST OF THE BEST' RECIPES

Thank you for subscribing!

Home » Italian » Kale pesto linguine with roasted tomatoes & crispy prosciutto

Kale pesto linguine with roasted tomatoes & crispy prosciutto

Posted Sep 15, 2015 | Updated Jul 30, 2019 by Helen | 30 Comments |

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.

  • Facebook 8
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Pesto – a student staple! But it doesn’t have to be a cheap and oily jarred version. Try this homemade pesto with kale and walnuts … stir through linguine and top with smoky roasted tomatoes and salty prosciutto for a quick and wholesome mid-week meal.

Kale and walnut pesto linguine with roasted tomatoes and crispy prosciutto

I’m sure that any of you who have lived away from home as students made yourself some ‘interesting’ dishes when you first started cooking for yourselves.

I certainly did! Let’s just say they mostly consisted of bland concoctions involving things like cheap packets of pasta and tins of tomatoes and tuna … and not much else! (And don’t worry, I won’t tell you the story of the maggots my housemates and I found in the bottom of the bin when we returned from our Christmas holidays. Or at least I won’t dwell on it too much. Let’s just say they got boiling water poured all over them, but they stank out the house, so they then got thrown into the garden where they were promptly snowed on … leaving us a lovely reminder of our grubbiness when the snow melted!)

I know, I know, maggot stories are not very befitting of a food blog. I’m not making myself any new friends here.

So getting back to my point, then (yes, Helen, you’d better …), another of my go-to student recipes was pasta with pesto. Yup, the pre-made jarred variety – runny and made with cheap oil.

Basically, nothing like a good homemade pesto like the one in my recipe today. And not only is my pesto nice and chunky and homemade, but I’ve added the veggie-of-the-moment, kale, to make it super healthy and tasty. Throw in some basil, a handful of walnuts (cheaper than pinenuts), a big garlic clove, a good squeeze of lemon and a generous drizzle of olive oil, whizz it all up in a food processor and you’ve got a gorgeous pesto in seconds.

Kale and walnut pesto linguine with roasted tomatoes and crispy prosciutto

Nothing particularly unusual here. Maybe you’ve made pesto and pasta loads of times before. But have you ever added roasted tomatoes and crispy prosciutto? No, I didn’t think so. Well, trust me, these two humble additions take this classy linguine meal to a whole other level. The juicy, smoky tomatoes really tickle the tastebuds and go perfectly with the pesto, as do the crispy mouthfuls of salty prosciutto.

I think the key to making this quick pesto linguine great is to make sure the pesto is runny enough. When you whizz it up in the food processor, add enough water to make it the consistency of a thick-ish dip. Then when you stir the pesto through the hot cooked pasta, add a bit of the pasta cooking water to loosen up the dish if you think it needs it.

I reckon this would work just as well with salmon or chicken instead of the prosciutto… or it could easily become a vegetarian meal if you skipped the meat and threw on more tomatoes.

Bellissimo! 🙂

Kale pesto linguine with roasted tomatoes & crispy prosciutto

I've always loved a good homemade pesto, and with this one you have the added satisfaction of knowing that it's made with super healthy kale and walnuts. Stir through linguine, then top with delicious roasted tomatoes and crispy prosciutto for a perfect balance of flavours.
0 from 0 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
Prep Time 12 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Cuisine Italian
Servings (click to change) 2
Author Helen

Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)

cups/ounces - grams/ml

for the pesto

  • 3.5 ounces kale washed and with the tough stalks discarded
  • smallish bunch of basil at least 25 or so leaves
  • 1/4 cup walnuts just a good handful
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 1.75 ounces parmesan cheese grated
  • a couple of good squeezes of lemon juice add more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

rest of ingredients

  • 5 ounces cherry tomatoes weight including the vine – or about 100 grams/3.5 ounces off the vine
  • 6 slices prosciutto
  • 7 ounces dried linguine pasta
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/355F.
  • Put a large pot of water on to boil, then blanch the kale for about a minute. Remove it with a slotted spoon (so that you can re-use the water for the pasta), transfer to a colander, rinse under a cold tap and then squeeze out most of the water.
  • In a food processor, blitz the kale with the basil leaves, walnuts, garlic, parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper until you have a chunky paste.
  • Slowly add a little water (at least 2 tablespoons) and pulse until your pesto is the right consistency (about the same consistency as a dip).
  • Spray a baking tray lightly with oil, then arrange the tomatoes on the vine on it with the slices of prosciutto (it doesn’t matter if the meat is overlapping slightly). Bake for about 10 minutes, turning the meat half way through the cooking time.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in the water that you blanched the kale in. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water, then stir the pesto through the pasta. Loosen up the dish with a little of the cooking water.
  • Serve the pasta out into bowls, topping with the tomatoes and prosciutto. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 824kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 29gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 589mgPotassium: 754mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5495IUVitamin C: 76.1mgCalcium: 411mgIron: 3.2mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know if you liked it!

 

subscribe2

You can also find more from Scrummy Lane on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram and follow me on Bloglovin! Thanks so much for reading!

*This post may contain affiliate links which means that if you click on a link and make a purchase I get a small percentage of the amount you spend. At no extra cost to you, of course! Thank you!*

kale pesto linguine with roasted tomatoes & crispy prosciutto

By Helen all recipes, healthy, Italian, main meals, Mediterranean, mid-week, pasta

Comments

  1. [email protected] says

    22 Sep 15 at 2:17 am

    OK, I had to skip over the entire paragraph containing the “m” word because they thought alone terrifies me and turns my stomach….!!! I literally think I could reach through the screen and give you a hug right about now. I am so NOT into Kale but they were on sale so I bought a couple of bunches and I’ve been contemplating what I can make with them. I have everything I need to make this except prosciutto, I’m thinking crumbled bacon instead. Dinner tonight! Sharing!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 7:02 pm

      Virtual hug accepted! 🙂 The last time I cooked with kale I wasn’t that bowled over, so I wanted to make something with it that I’d really like.
      Hope you enjoy your meal (bacon will be fine!) and sorry for grossing you out so much – I knew it was a gamble to mention ‘that word’!

      Reply
  2. mila furman says

    19 Sep 15 at 11:21 pm

    Oh God…maggots…those little f*ckers gross me out like nobody’s business! I once threw something out into the garbage in the garage in the summer…like raw meat or something…and I went to dump something else out a few days later and I literally almost fainted!!! I took that gigantic garbage can and soaked everything in it with bleach. I felt a little awful that I killed an entire generation…but hey those things were probablly going to eat me one night 🙂
    Anyhow,,,great recipe as always love. I love how the kale keeps the pesto super green!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:03 pm

      lol … oh my goodness, that’s just like what happened to me! And as you don’t seem to mind maggot stories, let me tell you another one… I once cooked some rice that had been in my cupboard for quite a long time in the summer, but when I drained it I noticed some of the rice was a different colour. You guessed it, there were maggots in the rice! Put me off rice for aaaages, and I still think about it occasionally when I cook it now …
      Sorry, Mila, bet I’ve really grossed you out now!!

      Reply
  3. Ala says

    18 Sep 15 at 6:53 pm

    Heh–“interesting” recipes are the defining element of my college years. You’re totally right, though – my college self would have loved making this pasta, and heck, I’m really looking forward to making this kale pesto now!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:03 pm

      Hope you do give this a go, Ala! Glad you like it! 🙂

      Reply
  4. emma @ be mom strong says

    18 Sep 15 at 6:26 pm

    YUM! This looks delish! Must try it.

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:04 pm

      Hi Emma! Yay, give it a try!!

      Reply
  5. Mira says

    18 Sep 15 at 4:01 am

    Yeah I remember these times, canned tuna and pasta 🙂 Love homemade pesto, much better than the store bought version! Need to make this pasta, looks great!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:04 pm

      Thanks so much, Mira (as always!!) 🙂

      Reply
  6. marcie says

    17 Sep 15 at 11:59 pm

    I remember how impressed I was when my roommate’s boyfriend, a fireman, made homemade pesto sauce MANY years ago. Apparently I thought it was hard! haha All I knew was that tasted a lot better than the jarred stuff. This kale pesto looks amazing, Helen, and pairing it with the tomatoes and prosciutto sounds even more delicious!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:05 pm

      Thank you, Marcie! I never would have dreamed of making my own pesto during my university days. Funny how things change (for the better, I have to say!)

      Reply
  7. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    17 Sep 15 at 11:40 pm

    Wow a kale and walnut version is a brilliant idea Helen. Thank you! 😀 Love that there is still basil for aroma but then kale for goodness! 😀

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:07 pm

      Thanks, Lorraine! Yeah, it was pretty good with the basil AND kale in there. Great way to get all healthy but without sacrificing the taste, as you say 🙂

      Reply
  8. Dini @ The Flavor Bender says

    17 Sep 15 at 6:28 pm

    This looks SOO good Helen! That Prosciutto… yum!! I am definitely going to try that Kale pesto too! I saw this on Facebook and HAD to come and see it! I’ll have to have Pasta for dinner 😀 Sending some love your way!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      23 Sep 15 at 8:07 pm

      Hi Dini! Thank you! Really glad you’re keen to give this a go – don’t think you’ll regret it!

      Reply
  9. cheri says

    17 Sep 15 at 3:02 am

    Hi Helen, maggots do not necessarily go hand in hand with a food blog, but I dearly love your stories, so funny……….and these things do happen. Beautiful dish and photos my friend.

    Reply
    • Helen says

      17 Sep 15 at 5:46 pm

      Thank you so much, Cheri! I can always count on you to be encouraging! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says

    16 Sep 15 at 10:19 pm

    I knew that my OH was the one the first time he made me pesto and I have loved pesto ever since.

    Reply
    • Helen says

      17 Sep 15 at 5:47 pm

      I love it too, but there’s got to be enough of it!

      Reply
  11. Shashi at RunninSrilankan says

    16 Sep 15 at 8:10 pm

    I am not usually squeamish, I am the one who kills the creepy crawlies at our home, but maggots get my hair standing up! GAH – I would have dies if I caw the snow melting to uncover them! GAH!
    Quick – I need to bathe in this kale pesto so I can get rid of all nasty thoughts of maggots!
    BTW – Helen, I’ve never had roasted tomatoes and crispy prosciutto with pasta and pesto!

    Reply
    • Helen says

      16 Sep 15 at 8:33 pm

      Oooh, I’m so sorry, Shashi! I knew that story was a bit risque! Do still try the pesto, though – and try not to think of maggots!!!

      Reply
  12. [email protected] says

    16 Sep 15 at 5:33 pm

    For me this is how pesto should look, perfectly coating the pasta. I love the addition of the roasted tomatoes and prosciutto, this is a lovely dish.

    Reply
    • Helen says

      16 Sep 15 at 8:33 pm

      Thank you so much, Janette! I put a LOT of that pesto in there, because I too hate it when there isn’t enough. Same goes for any pasta dish, really … pile on the sauce!!

      Reply
  13. Laura @ Raise Your Garden says

    16 Sep 15 at 4:12 pm

    You are making me absolutely starving right now Helen despite the maggot story. My husband is terrified of maggots, they scare him to death. Loving the walnuts in this recipe and I’ve read walnuts help cut down on belly fat and I need all the help I can get =)

    Reply
    • Helen says

      16 Sep 15 at 8:34 pm

      Ooh, I need all the help I can get, too – thanks for the tip! I’m glad I made you hungry despite my risky story. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says

    16 Sep 15 at 9:44 pm

    Oh boy did I make some strange stuff in college too! My favorite thing to make was spaghetti with chopped up tofu dogs ( I was a vegetarian then) – I still standby the dish 😉
    So onto your dish! Helen, you’re singing my song! First of all who doesn’t love pasta and pesto? The roasted tomatoes sound like a wonderful addition in flavor and color, and the prosciutto… lets just say that was what brought me out of my vegetarian ways 😉

    Reply
    • Helen says

      17 Sep 15 at 5:48 pm

      Ooh, I think many a vegetarian has fallen that way, Kathleen! The spaghetti and tofu dogs doesn’t sound so bad – I’ll have to give it a try some time … teehee! 🙂

      Reply
  15. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

    16 Sep 15 at 11:16 am

    I am ALL about kale pesto. I actually have a recipe for it in my book that is coming out soon 🙂 It’s definitely a great way to eat more veggies.

    Reply
    • Helen says

      16 Sep 15 at 8:35 pm

      Totally agreed! Can’t wait for your book! So exciting for you! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY! READ MORE >>


Trending!

A close up of crockpot chicken gnocchi soup in a white bowl with a spoon

Easy crockpot chicken gnocchi soup (Olive Garden copycat, with pressure cooker version!)

A close-up of a piece of 6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake (kladdkaka)

6-ingredient gooey Swedish chocolate cake (kladdkaka)

I rarely claim anything to be 'the best' but these really are THE BEST GREEK POTATOES!

The best Greek potatoes (with a video)

An easy 'magic' lemon pudding from above with lemons and a blue tea towel in the background

Easy magic lemon pudding (5 ingredients, no eggs)

Greek yogurt blueberry muffins - a light, airy and delicious recipe!

Greek yogurt blueberry muffins (low sugar recipe)

A small stack of crispy halloumi fries with more in a dish in the background

Crispy halloumi fries (and dips!)

In season!

A stack of three lemon bakewell slices with lemons in the background

Lemon Bakewell slices

Greek yogurt blueberry muffins - a light, airy and delicious recipe!

Greek yogurt blueberry muffins (low sugar recipe)

Baby tomato, pesto & prosciutto tart

Tomato, prosciutto & pesto puff pastry tart

A Spanish omelette on a wooden board with a slice cut out of it

the best Spanish omelette recipe (just 5 ingredients)

More seasonal recipes

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases. Posts may contain affiliate links.

Copyright ©2021, Scrummy Lane. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs