Whip up a batch of this quick and easy spinach pesto to use up the spinach in your fridge (and because it’s so so yummy!). Spinach, cashews, lemons, and parmesan make a budget-friendly rich and vibrant sauce.
If you open my fridge on any given day, you’ll find a very large bag of spinach. From Green Smoothies to Chicken Enchiladas to Autumn Rice Pilaf, we eat spinach pretty regularly.
And now that I have this 5-minute spinach pesto recipe, I’ll never have to throw away a slimy piece of spinach again…
Because that’s what usually ends up happening, right? You buy a bag of spinach, use it for one or two recipes, and then it sits in a drawer in the fridge getting slimy and gross and entirely inedible.
Let’s stop this madness, okay? Making spinach pesto is a super-easy way to reduce food waste while feeding your family, very similar to the thought process behind Carrot Top Pesto.
And this easy spinach pesto recipe is not only quick and simple, but it’s also super yummy!
SPINACH PESTO VS. TRADITIONAL PESTO
Anytime you make a meal plan that includes a recipe with spinach, just write “spinach pesto” at the end and not a single leaf will end up in the trash can.
Traditional pesto is quite savory and is made with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and salt, along with…
- Fresh herbs (usually fresh basil leaves)
- Pine nuts
- Parmesan cheese
Unfortunately, it’s also these last ingredients that make pesto a bit on the expensive side.
Instead of complaining about it, I made a few budget-friendly substitutions so that classic pesto isn’t something reserved only for special occasions. This 5-minute spinach pesto sauce is officially part of our meal plan rotation!
DELICIOUS SPINACH PESTO RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- Fresh Spinach. As much as I love fresh herbs, we’ve got that bag of spinach to use up, remember? Plus, fresh baby spinach is going to be easier on the budget than fresh basil or parsley. A bagged spinach and kale mix works too.
- Cashews. Move over pine nuts, my budget ain’t got room for you. Cashews have moved in and are saving me money. Plus, I can snack on them as I make this spinach pesto recipe. Walnuts or almonds also work as a more inexpensive nut option for pesto.
- Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest. Because not using lemon juice and zest makes a boring pesto. And life is too short for boring food. Fresh lemons are ideal here – they make the pesto taste like spring! – but if you have spinach to use up and no lemons, you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Healthy for the heart and tastes good? Yes, please.
- Parmesan Cheese. Although it can’t (and really shouldn’t) be omitted entirely, we can scale it back to keep the costs down. Nothing beats the sharp salty flavor of fresh Parmesan! You can also use Parmesan rind instead of actual Parmesan cheese. If you don’t buy Parmesan very often, shred whatever is left of the wedge and freeze it. Then you can pull out what you need when you need it, and you won’t throw any away.
- Garlic + Salt + Pepper. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single pesto recipe that didn’t include these amazing flavors, and rightfully so. These ingredients alone can make or break your spinach pesto, so use them!
If you do have a few fresh herbs around, feel free to throw them in here – spinach and basil pesto is delicious! But remember, the goal is to use up what you have and not buy additional ingredients, so keep it simple unless you’re trying to use something up.
Also, skip the grated parmesan cheese shakers with the green lids that you find on the pantry shelf. They won’t give you the flavor you’re looking for, and they’re not good for you.
HOW TO MAKE SPINACH PESTO SAUCE
Ready to learn how to make spinach pesto? Follow these simple instructions.
Step 1. In a food processor or in a blender (I used the Twister Jar in my Blendtec), add the olive oil and two handfuls of the spinach and blend. Add additional spinach in subsequent batches, blending after each addition. Blending in batches gives you the smoothest finished pesto.
Step 2. Add the cashews, garlic cloves, the juice, and zest of one lemon, salt, and pepper. Blend.
Step 3. Add the Parmesan cheese and blend. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, lemon juice, and/or lemon zest as desired. I personally like the lemon flavor, so I end up adding the full amount of lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Step 4. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated well. Store spinach pesto in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
PESTO SPINACH MEAL IDEAS
- Since pesto is a condiment, we often use it on sandwiches (grilled and cold).
- You can use pesto spinach on top of soups to add a rich, nutty flavor.
- Mix it in with roasted vegetables.
- Or mix it with rice to make Pesto Risotto.
- Homemade spinach pesto is a yummy sauce for Homemade Pizza.
- Try mixing it in with Mashed Potatoes.
- Add it to Homemade Caesar Dressing for a fun new flavor on salads.
- Use spinach pesto instead of mayo for a delicious twist in pasta salad, potato salad, egg salad, or chicken salad.
My favorite way to use this garlicky, tangy spinach pesto is as a sauce for spinach pesto pasta. Thinned with just a little bit of pasta cooking water, it’s like eating a bowl of spring and it’s utterly amazing. (And calling it “green spaghetti” helps kids get beyond the green factor.)
PESTO SPINACH SAUCE FAQS
Can you use frozen spinach in this recipe?
I personally have not tried it, but it should work in theory. If you attempt to substitute frozen spinach for fresh spinach, make sure it’s completely thawed and drained first AND that it was fresh spinach when it was frozen.
If you bought a box of frozen spinach from the store, you’re probably fine here. However, if you stuck a bag of almost slimy spinach in the freezer to save it from the trash can, it’s a no-go. Slimy spinach simply tastes bad, and I don’t want you to waste your other ingredients.
How long does fresh spinach pesto last in the fridge?
You can store pesto spinach sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks, although it has the best flavor in the first 3-5 days.
Why is my spinach pesto bitter?
Older spinach can sometimes taste a little bit bitter, as can old olive oil. The lemon juice and zest help cut any bitterness. Plan to use your spinach up before it gets old to avoid this issue!
Can you make spinach pesto without nuts?
Yes, you can. You can try sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts or cashews, or you can omit the nuts entirely. You’ll end up with a thinner spinach pesto in the end.
MORE EASY SAUCE RECIPES
- Carrot Top Pesto
- Homemade Pesto Hummus
- Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- 15-Minute Spaghetti Sauce
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5 Minute Spinach Pesto
Whip up a batch of this quick and easy spinach pesto to use up the spinach in your fridge (and because it’s so so yummy!). Spinach, cashews, lemons, and parmesan make a budget-friendly rich and vibrant sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 20 ounces 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a food processor or a blender (I used the Twister Jar in my Blendtec), add the olive oil and two handfuls of the spinach and blend. Add additional spinach in subsequent batches, blending after each addition.
- Add the cashews, garlic cloves, the juice and zest of one lemon, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Blend.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and blend. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and/or lemon zest as desired. I personally like the lemon flavor, so I end up adding the full amount of lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Blend until all ingredients are incorporated well. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- If you attempt to substitute frozen spinach for fresh spinach, make sure it’s completely drained first AND that it was fresh spinach when it was frozen.
- If you bought a box of spinach from the store, you’re probably fine here. However, if you stuck a bag of almost slimy spinach in the freezer in order to save it from the trash can, it’s a no-go.
- You can use Parmesan rind instead of actual Parmesan cheese.
- If you don’t buy Parmesan very often, shred whatever is left of the wedge and freeze it. Then you can pull out what you need when you need it, and you won’t throw any of it away.
Nutrition
- Calories: 176
I want to make large batches of heart-healthy spinach/walnut pesto , so I always have some in freezer to use on Naan pizza , white fish and more. Since fresh produce spoils quickly in my house, I want to use canned spinach, but I cannot find equivalents of fresh packed cups to canned amounts to use. Can you help?
Hi Maureen! I don’t have a conversion on fresh spinach to canned spinach. I would not recommend canned for this recipe though. Canned spinach is cooked and it will not give you the same results. If you plan to freeze the pesto after making it, you should be able to purchase enough fresh spinach and plan to make your pesto within a day or two. I hope that helps!
If I need to use up cilantro, do I just substitute it for the spinach?
Hi Katie,
Yes. You can do that if you’d like to have a cilantro pesto. Let us know how it goes!
I love pesto, and I love this idea! Though it doesn’t happen often, I hate ever throwing away those greens that need to be used up. Have some in the fridge right now, and I can’t wait to try this! Thank you, thank you!
So glad you are happy with this post!
Just a question….is this recipe using fresh spinach or frozen?
Thanks!
M
Tiffany, I love spinach and was AMAZED when my husband noy only liked this but loved it! He ate it every day on his sandwiches, then I used the rest on a pasta salad with chickpeas and veggies. We scarfed down every bite. I think the cashews were the kicker. Yum! I used some salted roasted ones I had and they were delicious in the pesto! Making again today! Thanks for a new take on spinach pesto.
You’re so very welcome Gina!
I have sooo much basil in my herb garden…this is probably silly..but I can use that right?? 🙂 or mix it with spinach?
Oh yes, you can definitely use basil!!
Hi. I love the hacks you shared. Would avocado oil be good as replacement for the evoo?
I haven’t made this with avocado oil before Gayle, but it should be fine!
Planning to make this tonight. We have so much spinach to harvest before the heat. Wondering if I can freeze this pesto, with all your recommended ingredients in it?!
I have not tried freezing this pesto, but I would assume it would work! I’ve seen hacks on freezing herbs in oil in ice cube trays. And pesto is a lot of herb and oil.
I freeze spinach pesto and it’s always ready for a quick easy meal. It works extremely well!
This is so tasty! Thanks for the recipe. I never knew I could make a pesto without the pine nuts.
Glad you liked it Tabitha!
I use walnuts in my pesto and they work perfectly-
So glad to hear Lorrie, thank you! 🙂
Thank you very much for this recipe Tiffany! I am newer to your blog and tried this one tonight. I served it on top of spaghetti squash as a side for our baked chicken…it was soooo flavorful (and I only used 1 lemon and the lesser quantity of all the ingredients). I love having another use for healthy spinach!
Have a blessed weekend! 🙂
You’re so welcome Laura! I’m glad you guys liked it – what a great way to enjoy spaghetti squash!
I’ve managed to get away with a little avocado in either spinach or basil pesto – another great way to use up a little leftover from the back of the fridge!
Ooh – fantastic tip Eilidh. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve been using cashews in my pesto as well. 🙂 I love the texture and the savings!
Hi Katie Mae! I love how you think sweet friend. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Two questions. I don’t eat Parmesan. Can I use, say, Mexican cheese or cheddar or… Also, school doesn’t allow nuts. What can I substitute? Thanks!
Hi Sangeetha! The nuts are for texture, so a mild seed would work well. As for the cheese, I’d try Romano. 🙂
SANGEETHA, I use a small tomato to replace the cheese. I have successfully used seeds instead of nuts.