Kale Pesto Shirataki Noodles {Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free}
/Kale pesto shirataki noodles are an easy weekday meal that's gluten free, paleo, and vegan. It's full of fresh greens and can be a simple and tasty one-dish dinner!
If you're gluten free like me, you may miss pasta.
I'm not much of a fan of the gluten free pasta. It can be thick, gummy, and uber-processed.
Of course, me and my spiralizer have created many a gluten free vegetable noodle for dishes like spiralized squash with spinach and mushrooms or spicy avocado sauce over chicken and zoodles.
Today, I have a whole different kind of gluten free pasta recipe with these kale pesto shirataki noodles.
I've been eating shirataki noodles for a while, so I'm not sure why I've been holding out on you and not sharing. Some of you have asked for an easy weeknight dinner recipe, so voila, here you go. It doesn't get much easier than gluten free noodles with a simple kale pesto.
So what's a shirataki noodle?
The noodles come from the Konjac root, and originated in Japan.
Glucomannan is the starch that's extracted from the tuber and mixed with water and limewater to create the gluten free noodles.
Shirataki noodles have ZERO calories and ZERO carbohydrates. Yes, I said zero.
They're 97% water and 3% indigestible fiber. Have you bought any yet?
There are a few different ways to buy them and they can include soy or other flavors, which I recommending avoiding.
I like these Shirataki noodles - no soy or additives. They come in different shapes and sizes from angel hair to fettuccine and they even make a good rice now.
I know, you must be thinking there has to be a catch to a vegan, calorie free, gluten free noodle?
The only catch I can think of is that there's a fishy smell when you open the package of noodles. Luckily with some easy rinsing, it goes away quickly.
Another note is to try and not to eat the entire package in one sitting, especially if you're new to shirataki noodles.
Glucomannan is a resistant starch, meaning your gut doesn't digest it, which is a good thing.
It's a prebiotic so it sets up shop in your system for good bacteria to flourish. All of this can cause a little bloating if you're not used to it, so start slowly before becoming a shirataki addict.
Luckily gluten free, carb free, and vegan foodies now have their own healthy pasta noodle.
Even better is that these kale pesto noodles are loaded with greens and can be prepared quickly and easily for a go-to weekday dinner!
Kale Pesto Shirataki Noodles {Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free}
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 package of shirataki noodles (I like these)
1 bunch of dino kale, stems removed (use stems in this recipe)
Kale Pesto
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1 cup fresh dino kale, stems removed, steamed or boiled until soft
1 cup fresh basil
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
Combine all of the kale pesto ingredients in a food processor, slowly adding the oil until desired consistency is reached.
Rinse the noodles to remove the smell, boil or run under hot water for a minute, and then put them in a hot pan with no oil. Remove all of the water. Once the noodles are dry, add the kale to the pan until combined and warm. Turn off the heat and mix in enough pesto to coat the noodles. Enjoy!
