• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • All About Jenny
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
Kitchen Skip
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Jenny
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian

    Spinach Pesto

    Published: Feb 9, 2022 by Jenny

    Jump to Recipe
    a small glass bowl of spinach basil pesto next to slices of baguette

    Made with a blend of baby spinach and basil, you hardly even know that spinach is packed into this delicious spinach pesto.

    a small glass bowl of spinach basil pesto next to slices of baguette this recipe

    Pesto is often thought of as a summer sauce, served with tomatoes and mozzarella or cold pasta salad.

    But I love pesto in the winter, especially spinach pesto, which packs more of a nutritional punch. Spinach adds nutrients like Vitamin K, Vitamin C, iron and calcium.

    This pesto tastes very close to traditional basil pesto. It's made from basil, spinach, garlic, parmesan, olive oil and your choice of nut. The pesto is vibrant and flavorful. You might not even know the spinach is in there!

    Spinach pesto is perfect served with Instant Pot orzo, tossed with tuna pesto pasta, or spooned into Slow Cooker White Beans and Tomato Soup with Orzo. I also love spreading pesto on toasted slices of baguette.

    Ingredients

    pesto ingredients: baby spinach, basil, olive oil, grated parmesan, slivered almonds, garlic clove

    Spinach: Buy a bag of pre-washed baby spinach to make life easy. You can add as little, or as much, spinach as you want to this pesto. For your first batch, just add a small handful to see how you like it.

    Basil: Basil is what gives this pesto a traditional, familiar flavor.

    Parmesan: The texture of pesto is best when you grate a wedge of parmesan by hand, instead of using pre-grated cheese. You can use the real deal (Parmigiano Reggiano) or less-expensive Grana Padano. If possible, use a blend of parmesan and pecorino for more flavor.

    Garlic: One small clove is enough for my family, but you can pack as much garlic into this pesto as you like.

    Nuts: Your choice! Traditional pesto is made from pine nuts, but you can make this pesto without pine nuts if you want. I often used slivered almonds (try my almond pesto recipe) or walnuts (try lemon garlic shrimp pasta with arugula walnut pesto).

    Olive oil: The flavor of the olive oil will affect the pesto, so use olive oil that you like.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1: Blend the nuts, garlic and cheese until very finely ground

    Step 2: Add the spinach. Blend until the leaves are very finely chopped. Stop the food processor and scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.

    Step 3: Add the basil. With the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil. Process until the pesto reaches a consistency you like.

    For exact ingredient measurements, see recipe below.

    food processor blending peso ingredients

    FAQs about Spinach Pesto

    How much spinach should be added?

    It's up to you. The recipe suggests a small handful, but you can add more or less, depending on what tastes good to you.

    Can I make this recipe using only spinach (no basil)?

    Yes, but it won't taste like traditional pesto. Make sure to blend it well so the spinach is very finely chopped or a smooth paste.

    Do I have to add cheese?

    Cheese helps gives pesto it's rich texture and savory flavor. If you don't want to add cheese, you can make vegan pesto by adding half of an avocado instead, which changes the flavor slightly but adds a creamy texture. You can also try adding a few teaspoons of nutritional yeast, which has a savory flavor similar to cheese.

    Will this pesto turn brown?

    Spinach adds a vibrant green color to this pesto, but eventually even this pesto will take on a darker, brownish hue. This happens when the blended basil leaves are exposed to air (or heat) for even a short amount of time. It's almost impossible to avoid oxidation, but there are a few tricks that might help.

    1. Blanch the basil and spinach in boiling water for 10 seconds, then plunge into ice water. Squeeze excess water out of the leaves, then continue with the recipe. 2. Add lemon to the pesto
    3. Add ascorbic or citric acid. This is what's often added to store-bought pesto.
    4. Store the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil on top, then press plastic wrap against the olive oil

    Can less cheese be added?

    Yes, you can go down to 2 tablespoons of grated cheese. It's likely you'll have to add salt to make up for the lost flavor.

    More Spinach Recipes

    • butter beans in a cast iron skillet baked under melted cheese, tomato sauce and basil
      Skillet Butter Bean Recipe with Pizza Cheese & Spinach
    • Brown bowl filled with chickpeas and spinach simmered in thick tomato sauce
      Chickpeas and Spinach {Easy 30-minute One Pot Dinner}
    • saute pan with barley, spinach and eggs
      Barley with Eggs & Spinach
    • bowl of glass noodle soup with mushrooms
      Easy, Flavorful Glass Noodle Soup

    Does this recipe make you hungry?
    SUBSCRIBE
    to the Kitchen Skip newsletter
    for helpful tips, easy recipes
    & good conversation

    Print

    Spinach Pesto

    a small glass bowl of spinach basil pesto next to slices of baguette
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Made with a blend of baby spinach and basil, you hardly even know that spinach is packed into this delicious spinach pesto.

    You can use a variety of different nuts for this recipes. Pine nuts, toasted slivered almonds, walnuts and cashews are all good options. To make nut-free pesto, use sunflower seeds. 

    This recipe was updated on February 9, 2022

     

    • Author: Jenny Meier | Kitchen Skip Blog
    • Prep Time: 10
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Category: Vegetarian
    • Method: Blend
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 tablespoons nuts, ideally toasted (pine nuts, slivered almonds, walnuts or cashews)
    • 1 clove garlic ( or more if you really like garlic)
    • ¾ cup grated parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
    • 1 handful raw baby spinach leaves (either a small or big handful, it's up to you)
    • 2 cups packed basil leaves (about 4 ounces)
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or slightly more to adjust the texture)
    • Salt, to taste

    Instructions

    1. In the bowl of a food processor, blend the nuts, garlic and grated cheese until very finely chopped.
    2. Add the spinach and blend for about 10 seconds until the leaves are very finely chopped (scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed)
    3. Add the basil, then put the lid back on the food processor.
    4. Slowly pour in the olive oil with the blade running,  continuing to blend until the pesto reaches a consistency you like. If you’d like the pesto to be less thick, then add more olive oil. 
    5. Add salt to taste. 

    Notes

    I buy a bag of pre-washed baby spinach, which makes it easy to add fresh spinach to pesto. 

    This spinach pesto tastes best if eaten within 3 to 5 days.

    If you prefer less cheese, you can go down to 2 tablespoons of grated cheese. It's likely you'll have to add salt to make up for the lost flavor. 

     

     

    Keywords: spinach pesto, pesto, spinach basil pesto, spinach pasta,

    Please rate and review this recipe!

    Your reviews help other readers. They also help me provide the best recipes possible. Thanks!


    More Delicious Recipes

    • a bowl of lentil soup
      Best Homemade Lentil Soup
    • a plate of cooked asparagus
      Oven Roasted Asparagus
    • a bowl of salad with green goddess dressing
      Green Goddess Salad
    • a bowl of lentil sloppy joes with a side of pickles and potato chips
      Lentil Sloppy Joes (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Jen

      January 06, 2022 at 7:15 am

      Delicious, healthy pesto!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Hi, I'm Jenny!
    Mama of two, professional recipe developer, optimist, lover of buttered toast and steaming hot mugs of coffee. I'm here to help you get dinner on the table! Learn More About Me…

    Yummy Salads

    • bowl of macaroni salad with chicken and herbs
      Macaroni Salad with Chicken
    • a bowl of chicken salad with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and croutons
      BLT Chicken Salad with Creme Fraiche Dressing
    • a bowl of kale slaw with sliced apples, pecans and poppy seeds
      Kale Apple Slaw with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
    • bowl of broccoli slaw with honey mustard dressing
      Broccolini Slaw with Honey Mustard Yogurt Dressing

    Instant Pot Chicken

    • bowl of sliced chicken breast, potatoes and carrots
      Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts with Potatoes & Carrots
    • a bowl of chicken breast and white rice soup
      Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
    • bowl of cooked white rice with shredded carrot topped with sliced chicken thighs
      Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
    • A bowl of Filipino chicken adobo made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs
      Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

    Watch My Web Stories

    Welcome to Kitchen Skip


    Hi, I’m Jenny!
    Recipe developer, writer and Mama of two. I’m here to help answer the never-ending question, what’s for dinner?
    On Kitchen Skip you’ll find easy dinner recipes for busy parents who want to eat well without spending too much time in the kitchen.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    Newsletter

    SIGN UP
    for easy dinner recipes

    Let's Get Social!
    Instagram
    Pinterest

    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

    ^ back to top

    Images and text copyright Jenny Meier in 2022. Do not repost images or recipes without requesting permission

    Copyright © 2022 on the Foodie Pro Theme

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using by reading our privacy policy.

    Kitchen Skip
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.