Spinach Basil Pesto
This nut-free Spinach Basil Pesto is so bright and flavorful, it goes with just about anything! Serve over some grilled meat, fish, veggies, pasta, or even as a condiment for your sandwiches. It only takes about 5 minutes to make, and is perfect for summer with all that fresh spinach and basil.
Ingredients
- Spinach: 2 cups of lightly packed fresh spinach.
- Basil: 1 cup of lightly packed fresh basil.
- Olive Oil: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
- Parmesan Cheese: 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavor. You can leave this out for dairy-free or vegan diets.
- Garlic: 2 cloves of minced garlic. If you prefer it less garlicky, just use 1 clove.
- Lemon Juice: 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Use freshly squeezed for the most vibrant flavor!
- Salt and Pepper: Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
*The full ingredient list with amounts is in the recipe card below.
How to Make Spinach Basil Pesto
It’s so easy to make this spinach basil pesto, and only takes about 5 minutes! Once you have all your ingredients prepared, all you have to do is blend them together using a blender or small food processor. I like to use my immersion blender for making pesto.
You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for 3-6 months. Though this pesto does freeze well, I would recommend consuming it within 3 months for best flavor. It will begin to lose flavor if left too long in the freezer.
Serving Suggestions
- The most popular way to serve pesto is over pasta. Just mix some into your cooked pasta and top with some parmesan cheese. Serve warm for a meal or cold for pasta salad. For pasta salad just mix in your favorite veggies and cheese!
- Drizzle some pesto over grilled meat, fish or veggies. If you really want to get that flavor into your meat, you can marinate it in this pesto for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
- Use this spinach basil pesto as a condiment for sandwiches.
- Dressing for your salad. Just add a tablespoon more olive oil to thin it out to use as salad dressing.
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Spinach Basil Pesto
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Seasoning Sauces Marinades
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
Description
This nut-free Spinach Basil Pesto is so bright and flavorful, it goes with just about anything! Serve over some grilled meat, fish, veggies, pasta, or even as a condiment for your sandwiches. It only takes about 5 minutes to make, and is perfect for summer with all that fresh spinach and basil.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh spinach, loosely packed
- 1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a blender or small food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Leave out the parmesan for dairy free or vegan diets.
You can freeze for up to 6 months, though it does lose flavor the longer it’s in the freezer.
Nutritional Values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 216.3 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.2 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.6 g
- Cholesterol: 2.7 mg
