Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

Tangy balsamic mushrooms, quinoa, chickpeas & a bright kale pesto top these yummy bowls. Easy & healthy, they're weeknight dinner perfection.

Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

Last August, we decided to move to Chicago. When we first walked around what would become our new neighborhood, it was sunny, warm, children were playing, and the birds were singing. It was pretty hard to picture the snowy cold weather that would only be a few months away. I grew up in Chicago, but the dreamer in me still thought “maybe this year it won’t be cold.” As the fall weather started to become winter weather, the realist in me spoke up and said, “It’s Chicago. We’re going to hole up in this house, cook all winter, and order groceries with Instacart.”

Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

Well, here we are, spring is almost here, and I’m still alive, still cooking, and still using Instacart. We’re partnering with ALDI on this post to announce to you that ALDI is now on Instacart(!) in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles. What’s great is that the prices are the same as the in-store prices and the only challenging part was meeting the $35 minimum for free delivery. It’s a happy problem to have because everything at ALDI is so darn affordable. I got the fresh ingredients for these bowls as well as a restock of pantry staples such as olive oil and extra cans of chickpeas. If we ever get snowed in, at least we can make hummus.

Now it’s time to talk about these bowls! These are my “I’m-ready-for-spring-but-it’s-still-winter” bowls. They’re warm and hearty, yet fresh and bright. I started by using an Ambiano Professional Nutrition Blender to make a super creamy green pesto-like sauce using raw kale and pistachios. I tossed (more) kale with some of the sauce and piled it into the bowls with quinoa, balsamic-y mushrooms, chickpeas, crushed pistachios, and red pepper flakes. It all comes together in roughly 30 minutes and while the concept is very simple, it’s so, so delicious.

Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

Btw, this sauce would be delicious on so many things (salads, roasted vegetables, etc). While we were cleaning up, I caught Jack eating it with a spoon, although I’m not sure I’d recommend that 🙂

Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

5.0 from 5 reviews

Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls

 
Kale Pesto Mushroom Pistachio Bowls are a great healthy weeknight dinner in fall, winter, or spring! These easy, gluten-free & vegan bowls take just 30 minutes to make. Use leftover pesto on salads, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, or eggs!
Author:
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
Kale Pesto Sauce:
  • ¼ cup Southern Grove Pistachios, shelled
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 packed cup SimplyNature Organic Chopped Kale
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup Specially Selected Premium Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup water
For the Bowls:
  • 1 tablespoon SimplyNature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 16 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons SimplyNature Aged Balsamic Dressing
  • 4 packed cups SimplyNature Organic Chopped Kale
  • 2 cups cooked SimplyNature Organic Quinoa
  • ½ cup Dakota’s Pride Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon crushed Southern Grove Pistachios
  • Pinches of Stonemill Crushed Red Pepper, optional
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine the pistachios, garlic, kale, lemon juice, sea salt, pepper, ¼ cup olive oil and ¼ cup water in a small blender and pulse until pureed.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, pepper, stir to coat, then cook 8 to 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and toss with the balsamic.
  3. In a medium bowl, finely chop the remaining kale and remove any tough stem pieces. Toss with a few scoops of the kale pesto sauce and season with salt and pepper. Toss and gently massage.
  4. Assemble the bowls with the cooked quinoa, kale, mushrooms, chickpeas, pistachios, red pepper flakes and generous scoops of the sauce. Season to taste.

 

And here’s a peek at my Instacart order, which included the grocery items for this recipe, plus some of my favorite everyday grocery staples.

Instacart

This post is in partnership with ALDI. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep us cooking! Save $20 on a $35 or more ALDI Instacart order, enter the code LOVEALDI at checkout.

21 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Cassie
    06.13.2022

    I made this tonight, it is absolutely wonderful! I would like to eat this pesto by the spoonful – I added some parm – yum! This is the third recipe of yours that I have made, and they have all been delicious and very special. I am looking forward to making more grain bowls with this dreamy pesto. Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.18.2022

      Hi Cassie, I’m so glad you’ve been loving the recipes!

  2. Delila Tomlinson
    12.19.2021

    please add me to the email list- I need more healthy meals

  3. Amanda
    08.03.2020

    I’ve done the bowls a few times, but I make this magical kale and pistachio sauce all the time. Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.30.2020

      Hi Amanda, I’m so happy you’ve been loving the sauce!

  4. Corrie
    05.15.2020

    Hi, are the pistachios raw, roasted, w/ or w/o salt? Thank you!

  5. Jeanine Donofrio
    12.22.2019

    Apologies for the inconvenience, it’s not our usual recipe format but this was a sponsored post. Occasional sponsored posts like this one make it possible for us to create and post free recipes. If you take a look around, you’ll notice that the rest of the recipes aren’t written this way. Thank you for your support!

  6. Kristin
    04.15.2018

    i’ve started using instacart for the same reason – not wanting to leave the house in crappy weather! – but now i’m hooked and don’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

  7. Ashley
    04.04.2018

    This looks delicious! Do you have any suggestions on a substitution for chickpeas in the dressing? Thank you!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.04.2018

      Hi Ashley, there are no chickpeas in the dressing, just in the bowls!

  8. Sara
    04.03.2018

    Delicious! Doubled the recipe and made enough for my lunch all week!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      04.04.2018

      Hi Sara, I’m so glad you enjoyed these!

  9. Ilanac
    03.27.2018

    This was extremely delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe.

  10. Cristine
    03.23.2018

    Perfect anticipation of spring dish & super easy. I thought I would have leftovers for lunch, but the boyfriend polished off the sauce straight out of the blender (apparently Jack was not the only one who enjoyed it that much). We will make more!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.24.2018

      Oh, HA, I’m so glad you both enjoyed it 🙂

  11. sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    03.22.2018

    a very creative grouping of ingredients in this recipe, thank you, I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to dream up this one, so creative kudos to you!

  12. Janki from lifestyleedited.com
    03.20.2018

    That’s a perfect spring recipe! I will be trying it over the weekend.

  13. Gaby Dalkin
    03.18.2018

    This looks SO good! Especially that sauce!

  14. Rhonda @ Change In Seconds
    03.16.2018

    Will try the recipe this weekend.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.