Spinach Basil Pesto – A great flavor booster, we keep a jar of this Basil Pesto in our fridge at all times. Learn how to make pesto in 5 minutes! Basil Pesto goes well with just about everything – pasta, salads, vegetables, chicken, fish, potatoes, soups, pasta, even sandwiches.
Today, we are sharing a super simple recipe for Spinach Basil Pesto. This nut-free pesto recipe is a summer favorite when the garden basil is out of control. You all need to add it to your must make list. This pesto can be made in 5 minutes and goes well with just about everything-pasta, salads, vegetables, chicken, fish, potatoes, soups, gnocchi, and it’s so good on sandwiches. This easy pesto recipe is our all-time favorite!
Embrace the Spinach in this Basil Pesto
And if you are hesitant about the spinach, don’t be. Embrace the spinach. You really can’t taste it and it gives the pesto a vibrant green color, which makes me very happy. I love green! Plus, spinach is so good for you. I mean, you’ve seen Popeye flex his guns, right? Don’t you want arms like that? Gotta eat your spinach! Why not in pesto form?
Our boys don’t even know this basil pesto is made with spinach and they love it! Plus, spinach is cheaper than buying a ton of basil, so this is a budget friendly pesto too!
How to Make Pesto
Making homemade pesto is easy. Place the ingredients in a food processor or blender, let the machine work its magic and voila-you have a smooth and flavorful basil pesto! The ingredients to this spinach basil pesto couldn’t be any simpler:
- spinach
- basil
- garlic
- Parmesan cheese
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
I didn’t forget the nuts, Josh is allergic to all nuts so we make nut-free pesto. I promise it’s just as tasty! So if you are concerned with nut allergies, this is the pesto for you! Omitting the nuts also keeps the calories and fat down, if you are watching those things:)
If you need the pesto to be vegan or dairy-free you can leave out the Parmesan cheese, it is still good without it!
Basil Pesto is Versatile!
We keep a jar of Spinach Basil Pesto in our fridge at all times. Again, it has so many uses. It is such a great flavor booster and our family loves it!
In the summer, when our basil is growing like weeds, we make a huge batch and put it in the freezer. It comes in handy during the winter months. Pro tip, freeze the pesto in ice cube trays! A little pesto goes a long way and the little ice cubes of pesto are perfect.
More Basil Recipes
- Basil Vinaigrette
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
- Chicken Pesto Tortellini
- Baked Gnocchi with Sausage, Kale, and Pesto
Spinach Basil Pesto {Nut-Free}
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 cups packed spinach leaves
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the olive oil, spinach, basil, garlic, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Turn on the machine and blend for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape with a spatula and blend again until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Serve with pasta, veggies, chicken, fish, as a spread, etc. Store the pesto in a jar or container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. This pesto also freezes well. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Thanks for Sharing!
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I love the idea of a nut free version! I totally want to give this a go. I wonder if sunflower seeds could be a good nut fill in too?
I’m allergic to nuts and this looks awesome! I will have to try this. Thanks so much for this fabulous recipe!
Love the bright green color!
I love pesto! Your photos are beautiful! I love the color of the pesto!!
I love trying new pestos and this looks awesome!
do you think it would be possible to replace the spinach with kale?
I love that bright green color and anything with loads of basil and cheese you can count me in on!
We have loads of spinach and basil for our customers right now. I can’t wait to share this recipe with them!
Thanks 😀
Love the color and disguising spinach with basil and parm sounds pretty wonderful to me!
Thanks for the nice recipe for pesto. Have a great week.
What a gorgeous pesto!!
What an amazing vibrant green colour! Spinach goes really well in pesto!
we always have spinach on hand so this is perfect! would love it as a sandwich spread!
Love love love this idea! Makes it a little lighter too. Feel like I can almost smell the basil in that photo!
I’m just gonna open my mouth and let you smear this all in it.
This recipe would taste great with Pesto Straws! They are so good!!! Try making them!
My mom and I just made spinach basil pesto on Saturday! Ours was nut-free today, but we added in cannellini beans for fiber & protein.
Sometimes when I want my pesto more saucy, I add in a bit of reserved pasta water. Love how versatile pesto is!
I love how green it is!! This would be perfect on EVERYTHING. I love pesto!
I can’t get enough of pesto this time of year! Just made 2 different varieties last night! This is absolutely gorgeous – that color!
Love spinach pesto ~ such a nice twist on the classic recipe.
love that vibrant color and I am sure it is wonderful on just about everything!
Pesto is always a must-have in the kitchen! I am growing oodles of spinach and basil in my little apartment garden this year! I put it into little mini-muffin tins and freeze it to make sure I can have it even in the winter 🙂
I need to action this pesto immediately! It would spruce up any weeknight meal in 2.2 seconds!
My husband isn’t really into nuts much so the pesto nut taste has always been off putting to him. But this recipe might just do the trick. Thanks!
Apparently this is Food Allergy Awareness Week, so this is perfect timing!! It’s gorgeous — love the pretty green color 🙂
Really? Thanks for letting me know! Glad I timed it right:)
The basil was too strong. Added more spinach, doubled the oil, lemon juice, parmesan, and salt and pepper. But it was super delicious!
What a fabulous nut-free version! I can’t get over that bright green color. I love the addition of spinach for an extra veggie punch!
I love your blend of spinach and basil, it gives the pesto such a brilliant color!
Pesto is one of my favorite things on the planet. This is a great way to get extra vitamins, too!
This may be the easiest pesto I’ll ever make. Thanks, Maria!
I pretty much never use pesto because I have nut allergies. I don’t even really know HOW to use pesto – but I’m excited to see what you’re doing with it this week. Thanks!!!
Woo finally! Thanks so much for a nut free version, I’ve wanted to try pesto for ages, but I haven’t been able to as I’m allergic to nuts!
I have a teen with a tree nut allergy, but I love pesto. This sounds like a great alternative for all of us. Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome! Enjoy!
I’ve never seen a prettier pesto. 🙂 I must make it!
Maria,
This pesto looks so divine! My CSA farm share frequently floods my kitchen with spinach, and I thought I’d become talented at all the different places I can stuff spinach into (my favorites are pizza dough and smoothies), but I’ve never considered making a spinach pesto. I bet a spinach pizza crust, topped with spinach pesto sauce, would be an excellent combo.
Thanks!
I’m going to have to make this. I’ve always shied away from making my own pesto because the pine nuts are so expensive. I never even thought about making pesto with it!
instead of pine nuts you can use walnuts
How awesome that this is nut-free! I can see myself slathering it all over grilled meats and mixing it into salads as a dressing. Love it!
I use sunflower seeds in my pesto because my nephews have nut allergies. They work great…if you as me! No one has figured it out so far!
Gorgeous green color! I think I need this recipe for the upcoming bathing suit season. 😉
I love basil spinach pesto! I put it on EVERYTHING
Love-love-love spinach pesto! This looks incredible, Maria!!!!
Pesto is so great on so many things, I need to try this spinach version!
Lovely pesto, Maria. I’d put it on everything 😀
Looks so good! What a great idea!
Super smart!! We love pesto around here and should have some baby spinach coming up in the garden soon. Thanks,Maria!
How fab is this! My sister can not eat nuts or seeds so this is perfect for her. I swear this would go great with some blue cheese too.
I like the vibrant color and the texture it has, it look samazing! I am sure it goes well with a grilled chicken breast.
Love the vibrant green color!
I love spinach pesto even better then the original. I’ll be making this along with your spinach artichoke pesto pizza! I love using seasonal ingredients.
This is just delicious!!! Have had it on everything the past two days 🙂
How do you freeze it? In bags?
You can freeze it in freezer bags, tupperware, or even ice cube trays!
This was so yummy! My 2 yr old helper and I made this for dinner tonight and also tossed in some spring onions and a few sliced almonds we had kicking around. So delicious!
I made this pesto last night – so easy, and fantastic flavor! Can’t wait to use it on dinner tonight! Thanks, Maria. Looking forward to meeting you at BlogHer next week!
I made this recipe and it is FABULOUS. I used a high quality olive oil and OMG it is so good.
We also made the artichoke pizza and it rivals the product any gourmet pizza shop. It may have been the best pizza I have ever made so far. Seriously good. I will make this pesto recipe again and again.
This pesto is as good as one made with pine nuts. We spread it on slivers of steak. Out of this world.
Is there any non dairy substitute for the parmasean cheese? Would it be okay to leave it out? I can’t eat any dairy but this presto recipe sounds delicious!
You can leave the cheese out if you can’t have dairy.
Do you pack the spinach and basil leaves to measure?
Yes!
LOVED this pesto recipe. So glad to have a nut-free pesto. Thanks!
Made this the other night and it’s SO GREAT! I added a dollop of Greek yogurt which I definitely don’t regret! Been using this on everything for days, I love it so much!
I am wondering if it has to be olive oil, all I have is grape seed oil. Has anybody tried other oils
Ok, so here’s my story. A woman I met at my kiddos swim lessons gives me a ton of basil from her garden. I politely thank her (not knowing what in the world to do with it). She said she makes pesto with it. Ok, so I then go home and google nut-free pesto recipes and up pops your website. All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you! My husband said it was the best he has ever tasted, my seven year old son ate it and LOVED it (and he doesn’t like anything green), and I loved it and felt SO accomplished! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! I can’t wait to check out your other recipes! God bless you!! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. I substituted the parmesan for goats cheese, my little one is dairy intolerant, and realised I didn’t have enough spinach, but still turned out perfectly! Do you use the stalks of the basil as well as the leaves?
Looking forward to trying your zucchini chocolate cupcakes.
I just use the leaves. Glad you liked it!
We had this for dinner tonight. Amazing! I have two kids with nut allergies
So this is perfect! We had it with pasta and chicken. Super Yummy! It’s definitely going
To become a monthly meal staple. I loved putting all that
spinach in for extra veggie punch.
Superb article. I’m checking out constantly this site for inspired! Useful information and facts precisely one more aspect 🙂 I deal with such info considerably. I used to be trying to find that info for any pretty lengthy moment. Thank you and with good fortune.
Love the use of lemon– basil pesto can turn brown fast …. look forward to making it with spinach too. And allergies to nuts …. pine nuts are not really nuts so people may not be allergic to them as they are regular nuts.
Thanks for sharing this! I made it today and it was a huge hit with my family, even my picky mom! My little sister is allergic to all nuts, so it was great to have a homemade pesto that tastes just like the ones I’ve had at restaurants.
Delicious! Thanks!
i substituted nutritional yeast for the parm cheese for a vegan version and it is awesome, thanks !
Sunflower seeds are a great additon – cheaper than nuts & no worries about allergies.
Delicious! We have dairy allergies in our house as well as nut, so we substitute nutritional yeast (such as Bragg) for the pram cheese, and you seriously cannot tell the difference!
So good! I can’t eat normal pesto due to a nut allergy so this was amazing…I finally get to eat pesto all I want! 🙂
I made this and used for a pizza sauce. I used vegan parmesan and vegan cheese on the pizza and it was delicious! Thanks for this great recipe.
You are welcome!
This is so good! My daughter and I absolutely love it! Thank you! She has a tree nut allergy so your recipe is so helpful!!!
thanks for this great recipe, I’ve always wanted to try pesto but have a nut allergy. Onto my second batch and I think this will be a staple in my fridge now! thanks again for the recipe!
I made this pesto but made the mistake of using Kosher salt. It was wayyyy to salty. Do you recommend sea salt?
You can use either and you can reduce to your liking of saltiness!
Thanks for this recipe. But can canned spiach be used in this recipe .
I have only used fresh spinach.
How can I make this for 50 people or more? My daughter graduates next year and this sounds great.
Looks good! How necessary is the cheese?
This was AMAZINGLY delicious! Even my kids loved. I’m making it again tonight to share with our church small group.
Great recipe! Loved on the pizza. And the pesto freezes perfectly! Have some in stock in our freezer now!
Can you use chia seeds or flax seeds instead of nuts?
This recipe doesn’t have nuts.
I made this today and it was so, so yummy and easy.
Thank for the recipe – Tried it this week and it’s delicious!
Thanks for this recipe! My daughter has nut allergies so I was looking for a nut-free pesto. Our whole family loves this. Thanks for brightening up our lunchbox & dinner menus 🙂
Glad you like the recipe!
I am so glad I found this! I love pesto. I miss pesto! My child is severely allergic to tree nuts (and peanuts). I am making pesto this weekend! Thank you!
What a fantastic “Pesto.” We have a nut-free home due to allergies and Pesto was something I thought I would never taste again. This recipe hit the mark and I much prefer it over pine nut or walnut versions. We had it as a spread for a chicken/tomato/mozz/bacon/avocado sandwich. It was the star of the meal. Those e is a keeper.
Glad you like the pesto!
This pesto recipe is amazing!! I made it once with pine nuts and without. I even added some fresh mint that I have growing! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Made this tonight and love it! Will be making more to freeze. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Omg thank you!! I’m allergic to all nuts and always looking for but free recipes but haven’t found a pesto one yet. Thank you again!! X
Yay! Glad you found this recipe! We love it!
Any tips for freezing? Â do you add oil to the top? Â Does the pesto turn brownish in the freezer? Â Thanks in advance!
I don’t add oil to the top. It turns a little brownish, but not much. It freezes great!
This recipe looks delicious! I’ve always been allergic to nuts, so I’ve never been able to try pesto before (and my best friend is obsessed with it, so she talks about it all the time ) I’m also allergic to dairy, so I was wondering if there was anything I could use to substitute the Parmesan? Thanks!
Great recipe! FYI I used frozen chopped spinach and it seemed to work out fine -I think the texture was thicker but was not an issue (and I added a little extra oil). I really enjoy your recipes so far 🙂Â
Hi there,
Wondering if the basil and spinach is packed or loose?
Thanks!
I pack them!
I made this tonight to enjoy with my daughter who has a nut allergy. It was delicious and beautiful… and it was great to have a pesto we knew was completely nut free.
I have a question. . When it comes to 2 cups of basil, does that include stems, or just leaves?Â
Just the leaves.
Is it possible to make this without the cheese?
Sure! Enjoy!
Wow! Delicious! I bought a basil plant for another recipe and thought I’d try making pesto with the leftovers but nut-free because I am allergic. This turned out great! I think I may add a little more olive oil upon serving but for now the pesto is in the fridge, flavors melding, and getting even better! I taste tested it with some bread and wow, delish! Thank you!
Wonderful recipe. My daughter is allergic to nuts so I was searching around for alternatives and tried this and it was so so good – winning us all over. Tangy and delicious. YUM!
What do you put the pesto in to freeze? I think I might need to get some small freezer containers. I am at least going to make a small batch.
I like to do ice cube trays.
Just whipped this up and it was DELICIOUS. Thank you!
Glad you liked the recipe!
Hey Maria, first of all, I love the name of your blog – Two peas and their pod 🙂 really make sense. And I love this pesto sauce recipe, as mostly I make pesto sauce with basil and never added spinach and at times it becomes bitter. so I will give a try to this recipe.
This recipe is a life saver! Put it on anything, pasta, sandwich, potato … and you’ll have a delicious dinner in no time. Thanks.
My family said it was the best pesto they’ve ever had. I’ve never used spinach before. I made it exactly as written.
This is my fav recipe for pesto! Thank you 🙂Â
The only tweek I mad was to decrease the salt bcz spinach and Parmesan tends to be salty m.Â
I’ve never left comments for recipes before but I think you deserve it. Making this for the 20th time because my kids love it and ask for it. But the reason why it’s so special is because they are allergic to nuts and also don’t love spinach but this somehow works. Â
Thank you
I tried the Spinach Basil Pesto recipe and my family absolutely LOVED it, it was definitely a WINNER in my house!!!!
Thanks you
Do you ever use nutritional yeast? We have a nut and dairy allergy in our family and I am just wondering if subbing nutritional yeast for the parmesan would be a one for one sub or less?
I dont put it in and it still tastes fantastic.
I’ve made this recipe probably at least 6 times. I’ve used it on everything from tortellini to chicken and everyone always loves it. They don’t even realize how much spinach is in it XD
Such an easy recipe to follow. My son is allergic to nuts so this recipe was just perfect for us to make so many different things such as pasta and pesto tarts.
I work in a daycare making food for about sixty kids. Nuts are banned from the daycare so finding a great pesto was kind of difficult. every time I make this recipe with pasta, they devour it. it is one of their favourites.
I omit the parm from the recipe to put on the side so the kids who are lactose intolerant can enjoy it . I am very fortunate to come across this wonderful pesto. Thank you
Just made this this morning with the copious amount of basil my wee container garden is producing. So easy! And really good. I chose this recipe because it didn’t require me to go on a hunt for pine nuts, but think it might become my go-to.
Pesto is ALWAYS necessary to have in the fridge!
I just made pesto the other week and froze into ice cube trays! Love using garden-fresh basil…can’t wait to try this recipe too! 🙂
I love the recipe. I tried it tonight and it was a big hit. Â I would definitely make this again.Â
It came out great . My new favorite recipe.
I like pesto but I haven’t been a big fan. This recipe completely changed it. The pesto tastes very fresh and I love the color and consistency. We always have it in the fridge and our family -incl. teenage kids- often make themselves a toast/sandwich with it, or we have it on pasta for a quick dinner. Whichever way – it tastes fabulous!
I only blend mine briefly so I get a rougher consistency and a tiny bit of crunch to it. But that’s just my preference.
Great tasting combinationÂ
Simple and pretty satisfying! I would personally add less lemon juice, but otherwise it’s a great recipe
Love it.
This was my first time ever making pesto and it was absolutely incredible. I ate it over lentil spaghetti with tomatoes and grilled chicken. The only thing missing was some fresh mozzarella!
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Hi! I was wondering if I could use frozen spinach for this? If so how much should I use for this recipe? Thanks!
I always use fresh.
There’s also a vegan parmesan cheese that you could use if you don’t want to leave the cheese out of the recipe. Sounds delicious.
This was fantastic! I made it without the parmesan, and the only other thing I changed is that I only used 1/4 teaspoon of salt, since I watch my sodium. I’m going to eat pasta every day with this pesto. I need to watch my calorie intake so I appreciate no nuts too.
I just tried this recipe tonight and with a few substitutions like dairy free cheese instead of the Parmesan, and dried garlic instead of fresh because of allergies. This recipe was amazing. The taste was delicious. I’m so happy that I found your recipe. I haven’t been able to use the traditional tomato sauce when making spaghetti for myself because I have problems with heartburn so this was just perfect. Thank you for posting it. I love all the spinach.
You are welcome! glad you liked the pesto!
Hi! I’m looking to make this recipe. What is the serving size for the nutrition facts you have posted under the recipe?
May daughter enjoys this pesto! There is no other way she would consume basil and spinach. Plus she can take it to her nut-free school Thank you for sharing, Maria!
Delicious!
Delicious and easy!
Loved this recipe! It tasted amazing!!
This recipe is absolutely amazing! We have 7 children ages 29-10. I make a lot of pasta for my family and love the flavor of my homemade alfredo sauce with pesto drizzled on top. We have adult twin sons with nut allergies, and this solved my pesto dilemma! So fresh and easy to make. My family begs me to make it! It doesn’t last a week!
Glad you like our pesto recipe!
Great for a household with a nut allergy! I added more garlic, lemon, and salt but that may just be my taste preference.
How much does this make? Would I be able to make it in a mini processor?
I did and it worked so well
I loved this recipe! I’m a gardener but have never made pesto in my life. This is now my go-to recipe! I used frozen spinach that I had frozen from fresh, and it was delicious and came together fine.
This recipe really surprised me. I’ve never made pest with mix of spinach and basil, so i played it safe and used 2 cups spinach and 4 cups basil. When i was done blending, it looked like it had to much liquid. I put it in the fridge to chill for an hour and that changed the consistency completely! It was thick and rich and the flavor was excellent.
Delicious! Easy! I tossed it with zoodles and cherry tomatoes for a perfect addition to a summer meal. Thank you!
Can you use kale instead of spinach? I love the idea of adding greens for extra nutrition!
Sure, kale would be good too.
Made this today with spinach and basil I needed to use up. So good! I don’t miss the nuts at all. Perfect for summer pastas! This is a keeper!!
Glad you loved it!
Tasty… added a 1/3 cup of sunflower seeds
Excellent! This is a great nut-free pesto that is very versatile. Especially yummy w/grilled chicken and salmon.
Thanks!…love it!……I will freeze it!…Great for pasta!
This was fabulous. I grow my own Genovese basil, which is heavenly, but I don’t have that big of a crop, so the spinach was a great addition. I am now growing my own spinach, coincidentally.
Universally (within the small family) appreciated, using what in Barbados is called spinach which I think is more acidic than your spinach. And obviously open to many variations.
How long is the shelf-life on this in the fridge? I made a batch and have it in an air-tight container in the fridge now – it tastes amazing, thank you for sharing.
Glad you loved it! It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it!
If I want to add nuts what kind and how many?
Amazing pesto!! It definitely takes more basil than you think good thing I got the big pack of it!! I used nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan to keep it dairy free and it turned out super good. Very easy to make too I just threw it all in my portable blender so I’ll definitely be making it again!
Made this as we had a guest with a nut allergy. My son prefers it to my normal recipe using pine nuts or hemp seeds – says it’s less cloying and rich. Thank you!
This is super good. I used a power greens mix and thought it needed some sweetness, so I added a tablespoon or two of coconut sugar. It’s amazing!
Delicious! And love that it’s nut free. We use it to make pesto eggs
Loved it!
I love pesto. Was looking for a nut free version.. This is delicious! It’s easy to make and tastes great!
Definitely a keeper.
I don’t have access to fresh basil but I want to make this pesto as a healthier base coatingfor zucchini fries I need to keep the same flavor profile will some kind spinach and parsley garlic edamame pistachio marinade work
Can I use this for pizza for the sauce
Yes!
This looks great! do you know how many ounces of spinach and basil are used to make the 4 and 2 cups, respectively?
This is an amazing recipe . . . and you will not miss those nuts at all. My daughter always loved pesto when we were stationed in Italy. When pregnant she developed a nut allergy and finally i have found a recipe that tastes like pesto served in Italy.
I can’t wait to try this ! Many thanks for posting a nut free recipe !
Made your pesto today with my first harvest from my plants this year. So yummy and I also freeze it for winter months to add to spaghetti n pasta salads. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This is so delicious! I halved the recipe as it was just for my husband and I. I also used nutritional yeast instead of parmesan to reduce the fat and add more protein & fiber. This was the perfect recipe, which I’ve made twice now! Thanks!
Oh good! Glad you enjoy it.
This is a great recipe. One twist; I used equal amounts of spinach and basil. Delicious!
Perfect!
This recipe is very flavourful. My husband and I both loved it. We never missed the nuts. Thank you for sharing
Amazing! Adjusted ingredients to taste.
Yay!
Is the calorie count for the whole thing or is there a serving size?
Thank you for the recipe my husband has developed a nut sensitivity & my son loves his pesto I only added extra garlic & cheese bc those are extreme staples to our bellies . My picky eater can’t wait for dinner after a quick taste test. Again great recipe thanks
You are welcome!
Really tasty! I ended up adding more basil and garlic and a touch more oil. I think I should have added a pinch more salt but forgot. Yum and a crowd pleaser!
Ive been using this recipe for several years now and LOVE IT!! I love the spinach addition because my family wont eat a lot of greens but they LOVE this pesto.
Our fav way to use it is in turkey burgers. Keeps them moist and full of flavor!
I am thrilled you love it!
Wow! Just made this – it absolutely delicious! I love that it has so much spinach in it too yet you can’t tell it’s there. Thank you for sharing such a yummy nut-free pesto!
You are welcome!
about how many cups of pesto does this recipe make?
about 2 cups