Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh spinach, packed
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse spinach and basil under cold water and dry thoroughly.
- Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes until lightly golden.
- Place spinach, basil, toasted pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
- With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust as needed.
- Transfer pesto to a bowl and serve immediately or store for later use.
Notes
- Swap pine nuts for walnuts or almonds for variation.
- Add lemon juice for brightness or red pepper flakes for heat.
- Use nutritional yeast for a dairy-free alternative to Parmesan.
- Store with a layer of olive oil to preserve freshness.
- Freeze in ice cube trays for individual servings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
