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This Spinach-Walnut Pesto recipe takes five minutes! You just need five ingredients, plus salt and pepper to make this pesto sauce without basil. It's delicious stirred into pasta or zoodles and spooned onto pizza, chicken or fish!
Are you sometimes lazy in the kitchen, but still want something delicious and homemade?
I've got the perfect recipe for you! (And me...cough, cough.)
Ingredients
This basil-free pesto can be thrown together with washed spinach leaves from the grocery store, plus Parmesan, garlic, olive oil and walnuts. You can omit the nuts if needed.
It's the perfect solution when you don't have enough basil from your garden to make traditional pesto. Or when you're tired of spinach salad but need to use up that giant box of spinach in the fridge.
I see you.
How to make spinach-walnut pesto
All you need for this nutritious, homemade pesto is five minutes and a food processor(affiliate link). If you don't have one, use a blender and pulse carefully.
Just dump in all the ingredients -- no cooking required -- and pulse! Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl and pulse some more.
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The pesto is ready when it comes together to form a smooth paste. As you can see, it's not dry at all.
Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for longer.
Tip for best results
Make this with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, instead of the stuff in the green can. There's no need to grate by hand if you have a blender or food processor.
Just cut up a Parmesan wedge into large chunks, toss them into the machine, and pulse until you have a nice consistency. (I use speed 7 on my Vitamix (affiliate link) and keep that grated cheese in the fridge for weeks.
How to use spinach pesto
If you've been here before, you probably can guess my favorite way to serve this pesto...
Over pasta, of course! It's a 20-minute meal, tops.
But I have more ideas for you:
- Use it for Pesto Salmon or Pesto Chicken.
- Top pizza with it.
- Make Pesto Deviled Eggs.
- Spoon it onto a chicken cutlet sandwich.
- Stir it into risotto or scrambled eggs.
- Dip raw veggies in it as a snack.
Get creative! Then tell me what you made with it.
Enjoy!
P.S. You also have to try this creamy walnut sauce, which is basically a blonde walnut pesto! And don't miss these 50 BEST Spinach Recipes!
Easy Spinach-Walnut Pesto Recipe
In just five minutes, you can make this delicious, Easy Spinach-Walnut Pesto. My family loves this stirred into pasta and spread on sandwiches.
4.57 from 16 votes
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Course: dinner, Sauces
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 (Makes 1 ½ cups)
Calories: 133kcal
Author: Mamma C
Ingredients
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 6 ounces fresh spinach leaves (buy them washed or rinse and dry yourself)
- ½ cup shelled walnuts (can omit if needed)
- 1 garlic clove (peeled)
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅛ tsp. pepper
- 1 pinch salt
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
If you need to grate your cheese, cut up your Parmesan wedge into chunks and put them in your food processor or blender. Chop them until the cheese is the right consistency. Rinse your spinach, if needed, and pat dry.
Add the spinach and all ingredients to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until you have the consistency of a smooth paste, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Serve the pesto stirred into cooked pasta or use it as a topping for pizza, chicken or salmon. (See notes for ideas.) Store the pesto in the refrigerator up to one week or freeze it for longer.
Video
Notes
- For ideal texture, use a food processor instead of a blender. If you only have a blender, just pulse the ingredients instead of letting your blender run for too long, or you will end up with more of a liquid texture instead of a paste.
- Make this with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for best results. There’s no need to grate by hand if you have a blender or food processor.Just cut up a Parmesan wedge into large chunks, toss them into the machine, and pulse until you have a nice consistency. (I use speed 7 on my Vitamix (affiliate link) and keep that grated cheese in the fridge for weeks.
- If serving with pasta, you can put water on to boil in a pot on the stove and make your pesto in the meantime. When the pasta is done, drain it, return it to your pot, and add 3-4 four heaping tablespoons of pesto per pound of pasta, stirring and adding more to taste.
- Other ways to use spinach pesto:
- Use it for Pesto Salmon.
- Top pizza with it.
- Make Pesto Deviled Eggs.
- Spoon it onto a chicken cutlet sandwich.
- Stir it into risotto or scrambled eggs.
- Dip raw veggies in it as a snack.
Nutrition
Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1365IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Mention @cookingwithmammac or tag #CookingWithMammaC!
(Recipe Source: Adapted from Real Simple. Originally published on August 11, 2015 and updated now with new photos and text.)
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Rebecca V
Made this recipe for the second time today and it was perfect!! had to split it in half in my food processor and then combine two batches at the end.
I also added a little bit of lemon juice and an extra garlic clove
Thank you!!!Reply
Mamma C
Hi Rebecca - I'm so glad you enjoyed this spinach pesto! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Reply
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron
I can't believe it but I actually grew basil this year...it's normally too cold here and it only lasts a few weeks. It is so nice to have fresh basil! But I love the looks of this spinach pesto, especially that you don't need to cook it first. Looks so delicious!
Reply
Mamma C
Yay for basil! You can freeze it too, if you have enough and want to make it last. But this spinach pesto has a really nice flavor and is so easy. I'm thinking about making a few batches to freeze and have on hand. Thanks, Denise!
Reply
Elizabeth
Made this a few times and it’s awesome! I do add a bit of fresh basil. Yum yum!Reply
Mamma C
Hi Elizabeth - I'm so glad you enjoyed this! I bet the touch of basil is delicious.
Reply
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser
Oh my goodness bring it on (minus garlic-allergy)! I have so much basil, parsley in the herb garden I am freeze drying it! Yum-o Andrea. Oh I am sending you an email in a bit! Cheryl
Reply
Mamma C
I love that you have an herb garden. Nothing beats fresh!
Reply
