Spinach Pesto (With Basil)

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. 

❤️ About This Spinach Pesto 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 Spinach Basil Pesto

• 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

🧾 Ingredient Notes For Spinach Pesto

• 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. 

👩‍🍳 How To Make Spinach Pesto With Basil? 

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.

💭 Expert Tips For Spinach Pesto Recipe

• 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

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

Spinach Pesto Recipe (With Basil)

5 from 1 vote

Print

Pin

Save Saved!

Rate

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.

Kanan

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Serving Size 8 (~1 cup)

US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)

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

Get Recipe Ingredients

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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 (7%) | Carbohydrates: 2g (1%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Fat: 15g (23%) | Saturated Fat: 2g (10%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 2mg (1%) | Sodium: 129mg (5%) | Potassium: 92mg (3%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 888IU (18%) | Vitamin C: 4mg (5%) | Calcium: 59mg (6%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)

Did You Make This Recipe?

I want to see! Be sure to tag me on social media!

Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe Tag on Insta

Last Updated on May 24, 2023