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    Home » Cuisine » Italian

    Spinach Pesto (With Basil)

    Published: May 11, 2022 · Last Modified: May 11, 2022 by Kanan Patel / 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Spinach basil pesto in a bowl with a spoon inside.

    This flavorful spinach pesto is a delicious spin on the pesto made with fresh baby spinach and basil, rich olive oil, bright lemon, bold parmesan, garlic and nutty walnuts. It’s a healthy Italian-inspired sauce and there are countless ways to use it. 

    Spinach basil pesto in a bowl with a spoon inside.

    ❤️About This Recipe

    • Easy: Just add ingredients into the food processor and blend, your spinach pesto is ready.
    • Quick: It takes under 5 minutes to make this spinach basil pesto. 
    • Hesitant to use spinach? Don’t worry, you won’t taste the spinach at all. It just gives the vibrant green color of the pesto. Plus, spinach is good for you.
    • Taste & Flavor: It tastes herby (from basil), very fresh, creamy with a quite noticeable garlic undertone.
    • Cheaper alternative to classic pesto: Spinach is a whole lot cheaper than buying a ton of basil. So this spinach pesto is budget-friendly

    🍽 Ways To Use It

    • Toss with cooked pasta (any type works but tortellini and gnocchi are the best options)
    • Use it to enhance pasta salad (e.g. pesto tortellini salad)
    • Use as a spread for sandwiches or burgers.
    • Use as a pizza sauce
    • Spread over crostini or make pesto bruschetta
    • Drizzle over steamed or roasted veggies
    • Add a dollop of it to a soup like minestrone or other creamy soup
    2 plates of tortellini pesto salad with 2 forks and a bowl of pesto.

    🧾Ingredient Notes

    • Baby spinach: I highly recommend using fresh spinach. Frozen doesn’t work here.
    • Basil: Again, fresh is recommended. Dried basil in spinach pesto doesn’t work.
    • Garlic: Use fresh garlic or use readymade minced garlic.
    • Walnuts: It adds a nice nutty flavor. Another classic option is to use pine nuts.
    • Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best choice over bottled juice.
    • Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil should be used while making any pesto as it has a mild flavor. Plus, pesto is eaten raw, and fresh so extra virgin should be used.
    • Parmesan cheese: As being vegetarian, I only buy vegetarian parmesan cheese and not the original Parmigiano Reggiano that has rennet. 
    Spinach basil pesto ingredients with label on marble surface.

    👩‍🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions 

    1. To a food processor, add baby spinach, basil, parmesan, walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
    2. Also, add oil.
    3. Cover and run the processor until it is a pesto consistency. 
    4. You may need to stop and scrape the sides with a spatula and blend again.
    Collage of 4 images showing spinach pesto ingredients in food processor, adding oil, running and ready pesto.

    💭Expert Tips

    • Make a thin layer of olive oil on the surface of the spinach pesto when your store it in the jar to keep it fresh longer.
    • Store the spinach basil pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It can be frozen for 3-4 months. 
    • For an extra nutty flavor, you can toast the walnuts before adding them.

    Check out another pesto recipe - Parsley pesto

    Spinach pesto in a bowl with spinach leaves and lemon slices in the back.

    Did you try this spinach pesto recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    Spinach basil pesto in a bowl with a spoon inside.
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    Spinach Pesto (With Basil)

    5 from 1 vote
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    This flavorful spinach pesto with basil is a delicious spin on the classic pesto. It tastes herby (from basil), very fresh, creamy with a quite noticeable garlic undertone.
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Calories: 144kcal
    Servings 8 (~1 cup)
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    • 2 cups Baby spinach packed
    • 1 cup Basil leaves packed
    • ½ cup Walnuts
    • ¼ cup Vegetarian parmesan cheese
    • 3 cloves Garlic
    • ⅓ cup Extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt & Pepper to taste
    • 3 teaspoons Lemon juice
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    Instructions 

    • To a food processor, add baby spinach, basil, parmesan, walnuts, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and oil.
    • Cover and run the processor until it is a pesto consistency.
    • You may need to stop and scrape the sides with a spatula and blend again.

    Notes

    • Make a thin layer of olive oil on the surface of the pesto when your store it in the jar to keep it fresh longer.
    • Store the spinach basil pesto in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It can be frozen for 3-4 months.
    • For an extra nutty flavor, you can toast the walnuts before adding them.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.

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    1. Gitanjali Ramamurthy

      February 14, 2023 at 11:40 pm

      Can Parmesan cheese be substituted for any other cheese?

      Reply
      • Kanan Patel

        February 15, 2023 at 9:51 am

        You can use mozzarella.

        Reply

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    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

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