How to Make Spinach Pesto

It’s that time of year when the gardens burst into life and dinner looks brighter and brighter every day. In other words, pesto season! This easy summer recipe pairs well with everything from fresh pasta to grilled vegetables or a cold summer salad.

In this spinach pesto recipe, we sub out the traditional basil for spinach, and the results are not only delicious but nutritious as well!

Key Ingredients for Spinach Pesto

• Spinach: The spinach is the star of the show. You can use any type of spinach, but chop the ends off if you use bunched spinach. Be sure to wash your greens to avoid a gritty pesto.

• Olive oil: For the tastiest pesto, use a quality olive oil. Pesto has such limited ingredients, so a bright and grassy extra virgin olive oil can elevate the final product.

• Walnuts: We use walnuts in this recipe instead of the traditional pine nuts. The walnuts help thicken the sauce and provide a creamy element; they’re also much cheaper.

• Parmesan or Pecorino Romano: A firm, salty cheese is essential to any pesto. Fresh grated is the tastiest but you can definitely substitute pre-shredded.

• Garlic: Bring out the flavor of everything with some fresh cloves of garlic.

• Lemon juice: No herb sauce is complete without an acid, and for pesto we use lemon juice. The acid of the lemon works with the salt to help balance all the flavors.

Spinach Pesto Recipe

Risa Lichtman for Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups packed spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
• 2 cloves garlic
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1: Process walnuts

Risa Lichtman for Taste of Home

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the walnuts and garlic until roughly chopped. Don’t take the walnuts too far, you’re not looking for a paste.

Step 2: Pulse remaining ingredients

Risa Lichtman for Taste of Home

Scrape down the bowl, then add spinach, grated cheese, lemon and salt. Process until everything is broken down, but still has some texture (over-processing can lead to too smooth a sauce).

Pulse 3: Emulsify

Risa Lichtman for Taste of Home

While pulsing the food processor, drizzle in the oil. Allow to blend well but, again, you don’t want to take it too far.

Serve and enjoy!

Spinach Pesto Tips

How to store spinach pesto

This spinach pesto is delicious when served fresh from the food processor, but you can make it last much longer. Pesto can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week or frozen for later use.

Ice cube trays store perfect serving sizes of pesto. Simply spoon into the cubes, and you’ll have individual portions to pull as needed. To keep its brightness, wait to add the lemon juice and salt until just before serving.

What else to add to spinach pesto

Like traditional pesto, recipes for spinach pesto can easily be personalized, so it’s a great way to use up excess greens from the crisper. Cut out some of the spinach and sub in some leafy greens, basil or parsley. I also enjoy pesto made with pepitas in lieu of pine nuts. And for an extra bite of acid, use both lemon zest and the juice.