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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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!
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!