This Spinach and Basil Pesto comes together in just a few minutes and is the perfect sauce for your favorite pasta, sandwiches and more. It's made without pine nuts so it's great for anyone with nut allergies.
If you have a garden overflowing with fresh basil, this is the perfect recipe for you! Pesto is my favorite way to use up extra basil. I love it mixed with pasta and also on chicken like in my Air Fryer Caprese Chicken recipe. I have a tree nut allergy and this is my go-to recipe when I am craving fresh pesto. It also makes a great topping for Air Fryer Pizza Bagels.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick and easy. This recipe takes just 5-10 minutes to make. You just need to gather the ingredients and put it all in a food processor.
- Versatile. Pesto goes great with so many different things, including my Pesto Orzo Salad.
- Minimal ingredients. You only need a few simple ingredients for this recipe. Most of them are pantry and fridge staples.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Basil- there are many different types of basil but sweet basil is what we will be using in this recipe. This is what you will find in your local grocery store and what you are probably growing in your garden.
- Spinach- I like adding this as a way to sneak in extra leafy greens. However, if you don't like the thought of spinach pesto then you can leave it out and just use more basil leaves.
- Lemon- lemon juice adds a little tanginess to the pesto. Feel free to add a little lemon zest for even more flavor.
- Garlic- the recipe calls for 2-3 garlic cloves but you can use just 1 if you are not the biggest fan. I recommend using fresh garlic over pre-minced.
- Parmesan cheese- Pecorino Romano will also work. If you want to make this vegan, use a vegan cheese substitute, some nutritional yeast or just omit the cheese altogether.
- Olive oil- I recommend high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
Instructions
This is truly such a simple recipe, there really is only one step.
Add everything to a food processor or a blender and pulse until smooth.
Recipe FAQs
Nut-free pesto will stay good for about two weeks in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container or jar with a secure lid.
Yes! Pesto freezes very well. Portion it into ice cube trays and once they are frozen, store them in a zip-lock bag. The pesto will be good for a few months. This is a great option for the winter months when there isn't a surplus of basil growing in your garden at home.
It truly depends on your individual taste however, this recipe makes enough pesto for a ¾-1 package of pasta. I would recommend about one tablespoon of pesto to every cup of cooked pasta. If you find that the sauce is too thick after adding to pasta, you can add some hot pasta water to thin it out.
Chef Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients. I recommend using fresh basil and spinach, whole garlic cloves, good olive oil and fresh Parmigiano Reggiano.
- If your pesto seems too thick, you can easily fix this issue by adding more oil. Start with 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you are looking for. If you notice it becomes too thin, you can always add some more basil or spinach leaves.
- If you are looking to mimic the texture of classic pesto, you can add nut-free alternatives such as hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Serving
Aside from pasta, this recipe goes great with chicken, pizza, vegetables and even as a spread on top of bread. If I have frozen pesto cubes, I will throw one into my Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce to add some additional flavor.
One of my favorite things about this easy pesto recipe is that it is such a versatile sauce.
Similar Recipes
🍳Recipe
Spinach and Basil Pesto Recipe without Nuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil, packed
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor and pulse until the mixture is smooth.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Notes
- Use high-quality ingredients. I recommend using fresh basil and spinach, whole garlic cloves, good olive oil and fresh Parmigiano Reggiano.
- If your pesto seems too thick, you can easily fix this issue by adding more oil. Start with 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you are looking for. If you notice it becomes too thin, you can always add some more basil or spinach leaves.
- If you are looking to mimic the texture of classic pesto, you can add nut-free alternatives such as hemp seeds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Sue says
My sister made this and sent some over to my house. Added a bit to steamed summer squash & asparagus and had a teaspoon of it just by itself. I could have eaten the the entire container with nothing else - it so DELICIOUS! I will make this myself, over and over again. Thank you!
Sarah Holt says
Thank you Sue!!
Nancy says
I am making this recipe again right now, this is my fourth time making it and I am tripling the recipe and putting it in the freezer
Love it!!
Sarah Holt says
I always freeze my pesto, it's the best and so easy to triple!!
Nancy says
Made this pesto last night with fresh baby spinach and basil that we are growing and served it with fresh fettuccine… yummy!!!!!
Didn’t miss the nuts at all!
Sarah Holt says
So happy you loved it!! We make this all the time 🙂