Spinach Pesto Recipe

We’ve all got back pocket recipes that we can throw together with what we have on hand, and mine is pesto sauce. Once you learn how to make pesto sauce, you’ll realize very quickly that it can be made with a wide variety of greens, herbs, nuts and cheese.

There’s so much more than classic basil pesto sauce. I prepare carrot top pesto and this Spinach Pesto recipe much more often because I have the ingredients on hand often and basil isn’t always in season.

This recipe is special to me because I created it during one of my practical exams in cooking school.   We were allowed to choose two types of produce and create a composed dish with them.  I chose butternut squash and spinach, and made a beautiful butternut squash galette topped with pesto.  

My instructor loved it, and I’ve been making it ever since. 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• Spinach walnut pesto is a delicious twist on classic pesto sauce with a combination of baby spinach, basil, walnuts and lemon.
• The spinach makes it extra nutritious, and the basil may be omitted altogether if you don’t have any on hand.
• It pairs nicely with seafood, pasta, chicken and vegetarian recipes.
• It can be made in advance and enjoyed throughout the week, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

Recipe ingredients

There are only 7 ingredients in this spinach basil pesto, most of which may be substituted with what you have on hand.

Ingredient notes

• Spinach. Be sure to use fresh baby spinach for best results.
• Basil. If you don’t have basil on hand, omit it altogether or substitute with your favorite herbs or greens.
• Lemon. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice — it really makes the flavors pop!
• Parmesan. If possible, buy a block of parmesan and shred it yourself as it delivers a fresher flavor.
• Walnuts. Toasting the nuts enhances their flavor and adds a lovely texture and flavor to the spinach pesto. The walnuts may be substituted with your favorite nuts or seeds.

How to make this recipe

Making homemade spinach pesto sauce is as easy as adding the ingredients to a food processor and blending them until smooth.

Pro tip: Prepare it up to 2-3 days to make meal prep go even more quickly during the week!

1. Place the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.
2. Place the spinach, garlic, lemon zest and juice, walnuts, and parmesan into the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until roughly chopped.
3. With the processor running, add the oil through the feed tube and process until it reaches the desired consistency. Taste, then and add salt and pepper, and process once more.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

One of the best things about this spinach walnut pesto is its versatility. I love prepping a batch on the weekend to use a number of ways during the week!

• Use it in my chicken pesto pasta for a quick and easy dinner.
• It’s great as a marinade for pesto chicken.
• Drizzle it over chicken, fish, pork or steak, or with grilled vegetables for a tasty side dish.
• Toss with shredded chicken for pesto chicken salad.
• Serve with caprese salad for a healthy, vegetarian dinner..

Recipe notes

• Pro tip: Prepare the spinach pesto up to 2-3 days in advance and store for up to a week in the refrigerator.
• This sauce freezes well! You can store it all in one airtight container or place it in an ice cube tray wrapped tightly with foil and plastic and pop out however much you need at a time and thaw.
• The basil may be substituted with the same amount of spinach or your favorite herbs or greens.
• If you prefer a thinner pesto sauce, simply add 1-2 more tablespoons of oil.

More pesto recipes you’ll love:

• Pesto pasta salad by Cookie + Kate
• Mushroom ravioli with pesto