Zesty Spinach Pesto Recipe

This spinach pesto recipe is absolutely chock full of vitamins! Made with fresh spinach, cilantro, parsley, garlic and walnuts. It’s not basil pesto’s pale cousin but a dangerous rival! Use a food processor or blender and you can have fresh, flavourful pesto ready in just 10 minutes!

If you are a pesto lover, check out my basil pesto recipe! 

Spinach Pesto Recipe

If you are a regular pesto eater, you know that the original pesto recipe is made of crushed basil, pine nuts, This is an affiliate link.Parmesan cheese and This is an affiliate link.olive oil with an addition of of lemon juice and garlic. 

It’s a classic recipe that is famous for a reason, but that doesn’t mean we can’t play around with the formula or ingredients to make something new and different. After all, that’s what I did with Tuscan Kale Pesto!

The recipe I am so excited to share with you today follows the classic formula but utilizes slightly different ingredients.

Spinach Pesto Recipe with Walnuts

We are using spinach, parsley and cilantro as our green base, then adding walnuts and extra virgin olive oil for creaminess. What also contributes to much flavour is a combination of garlic, salt, red chilli flakes, red wine vinegar and lemon juice.

This recipe is not using Parmesan or any other cheese and is suitable for vegans. (If you are not a spinach fan, take a look at this Walnut Pesto!)

The result is off the charts on the deliciousness scale. It’s fresh, zesty, full of flavour and packing a whopping amount of nutrients. Popeye was onto something in his spinach loving ways! 

It is also lighter than a traditional pesto since the recipe is not using any cheese and a smaller amount of olive oil. The spinach and herbs contribute so much flavour, no cheese is needed! 

How to make it

It’s very easy to make pesto at home if you own a This is an affiliate link.food processor or a blender. It’s still easy to make pesto at home even if you don’t. An old-fashioned mortar and pestle work just fine, although with a lot more effort!

If you do own a blender or a food processor, just add spinach, flat leaf parsley and cilantro with stems, garlic clove or two, lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and chilli flakes and blend until smooth. Easy! 

How can I use pesto sauce in cooking?

Excellent question! I am glad you asked because the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few ideas of how to utilise this delicious and healthy sauce in cooking. 

• pasta sauce
• spread on chicken and fish before cooking
• pasta salad
• potato salad
• sandwich or wrap spread
• salad dressing (Just thin it out with water or yogurt for a creamy and delicious salad dressing)
• steak sauce

Do you have a favourite way of using pesto? Share in comments!! 

Storage and leftovers

Use a mason jar or This is an affiliate link.airtight container to store this pesto in the fridge for a week to 10 days. It can be a good idea to drizzle a small layer of olive oil on top of the pesto before you put it away to prevent discolouration.

Recipes using pesto

• Baked Shells with Pesto, Mozzarella and Meat Sauce
• Bacon Wrapped Fish with Pesto
• Prosciutto Wrapped Creamy Pesto Chicken Parcels
• Pesto Caprese Salad
• Whipped Feta and Ricotta Dip with Pistachio Pesto
• French Pressed Sandwich Bites with Pesto