Spinach Pesto is the available-year-round, more affordable, vibrant green cousin of basil pesto. The flavor is mild and lets the olive oil, garlic, and parmesan flavors shine through. Serve it at room temperature with bread or pasta for a pasta salad or simmer it with cream and stir in your favorite pasta shape for a pasta with sautéed spinach like you’ve never had before. 

Move over basil pesto, you’ve got competition. Spinach pesto is basil pesto’s fun, fresh cousin. It has a more subtle flavor than the basil version, a more budget-friendly price tag, and it is absolutely packed with vibrant green goodness. The next time you grab a bag or clamshell of baby spinach at the grocery store that ends up going unused in the back of your fridge, whip up a batch of this!

Once you make it, you’ll find you have many ways to use it, but pesto pizza, pesto pasta salad, or in a super easy pasta dish, simmered with some cream (recipe below!) are great places to start.

Ingredients in Spinach Pesto

• Baby Spinach – Just grab a bag of pre-washed baby spinach and you’re good to go. There’s no need to add basil to this recipe. You’ll get delicious, fresh flavors by just using spinach, but if have some around that you want to add in go for it!
• Olive Oil – Don’t use anything but extra virgin olive oil here. Spinach has a mild flavor, so everything else will really shine through. Only EVOO will do.
• Lemon Juice and Balsamic Vinegar – In this twist on pesto, these two acidic ingredients really come together to give the spinach pesto tart, fresh flavor. The lemon juice also helps the spinach retain its bright green color and flavor if you’re not using it right away. 
• Toasted Slivered Almonds – I find that these have a nutty, rich flavor that complement the spinach pesto so well, but other nuts or seeds can definitely be used. Walnuts, pecans, pine nuts (classic), or toasted sunflower seeds would all work. 
• Garlic – Adjust the amount you use depending on your feelings about garlic, but don’t skip it. Again, because the flavors are more mild here, the garlic will really help them to shine.
• Parmesan Cheese – A little cheese goes a long way here and parmesan will give you the most flavor. See below for some ideas if you want to make it vegan or just want to use a substitute.

Pasta with Sauteed Spinach

One of the best ways to use spinach pesto (IMHO) is to briefly saute the spinach mixture and make it into a creamy, warm pasta. See the notes section in the recipe card below for a printable version, but here are the steps:

1. Make a batch of spinach pesto.
2. Cook your favorite pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 minced shallot to a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the spinach pesto and saute for 2 minutes. 
5. Move the pan off the heat and stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream and the cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen up the sauce.
6. Serve warm with parmesan cheese grated over top. Enjoy!

Variations

• Make it nut-free: Use roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds instead of nuts so you still get that toasted, nutty flavor.
• Make it vegan: Use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
• Use a different type of cheese: Any firm, crumbly cheese will work instead of parmesan. Pecorino is always a good option. And, as noted, above, nutritional yeast is a great substitute with a similar savory flavor.

FAQs

More Yummy Spinach Recipes

Spinach Artichoke Pull-Apart Bread

Greek Pizza with Feta, Spinach and Olives

Creamy Butternut Squash and Spinach Casserole

Spinach and Artichoke Baked Pasta