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Spinach Arugula Pesto

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Homemade spinach pesto is WAY more delicious than any store bought version. Peppery arugula, salty Parmesan cheese, and toasted almonds make it a serious flavor booster for pasta, sandwiches, soups, eggs, and more!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
A spoonful of spinach pesto laying on a stone surface.

After a winter spent baking, the bright greens of spring and summer are so exciting! What a nice change from the beiges and browns of date and orange scones, apple crumble bars, and pumpkin banana muffins.

Homemade pesto is so delicious and it’s such a versatile condiment. This spinach pesto recipe is brilliant with this grilled bacon wrapped shrimp, roasted chicken, or whisked into this buttermilk quiche filling. It’s got such fresh flavor, and can be used in so many ways. We always run out quickly!

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💞Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔️ Spinach is cheaper than basil.
✔️ It freezes well.
✔️ You can put that sh*t on everything.

📋Ingredients

  • Spinach
  • Arugula
  • Slivered Almonds
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil

Ingredient Notes

  • Spinach—use any fresh spinach you have, however, homegrown or spinach from the farmers market tastes the best. I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen spinach.
  • Slivered Almonds—I find slivered the fastest and easiest to toast but you can use any almonds you want.
  • Parmesan Cheese—buy the real deal if you can afford it.

Ingredients Swaps

  • Arugula—replace the arugula with spinach if you want.
  • Almonds—you can use any nuts you like. Pine nuts are traditional in pesto, but cashews, or even sunflower seeds are also great.
  • Parmesan Cheese—Grana Padano or Pecorino are great substitutes for real Parmesan, but cheese is expensive. Use whatever you have on hand or can afford.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

👩‍🍳Step-By-Step Instructions

STEP 1—preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter the almonds over the sheet. Cook in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Set aside.

Toasted slivered almonds on a parchment paper-lined white baking sheet.

STEP 2—wash, dry, and trim the spinach and arugula.

Spinach leaves with the cut off stems nearby and a small pair of green-handled scissors.

STEP 3—place the spinach, arugula, toasted almonds, Parmesan, salt, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor.

The bowl of a food processor filled with fresh spinach and arugula, Parmesan cheese, toasted slivered almonds, flaky salt, and one clove of peeled garlic.

STEP 4—pulse 5 to 10 times, or until the mixture is coarse and chunky.

Pulsed ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

STEP 6—with the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Once all of the oil is in, run the food processor 5 to 10 seconds longer. Adjust seasoning to taste before storing in clean glass jars.

Homemade pesto in the bowl of a food processor after the olive oil has been slowly dribbled in.

🗣Expert Tips

1. Use a stand or immersion blender if you don’t own a food processor.
2. You don’t have to trim the stems from your spinach.
3. Portion spinach pesto into ice cube trays. Freeze and use as needed.

📝Recipe Notes

  • Store the pesto in clean glass jars with tight fitting lids in the refrigerator.
  • Spinach pesto will keep in the freezer for up to two months.
Small jars of pesto next to the bowl of a food processor with more pesto and a spoon inside of it.

🙋‍♀️Recipe FAQ

Are pine nuts necessary for pesto?

Pine nuts are traditional, but not mandatory. Almonds, pecans, cashews, or even seeds like pumpkin or sunflower are great substitute. Lightly toast them in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, and cool before using.

Why is my spinach pesto bitter?

Spinach, especially homegrown, has a beautiful light bitterness to begin with, however, in pesto, strong tasting olive oil is usually the culprit. If your pesto is too bitter for your taste, add more Parmesan or toasted nuts.

Why is my pesto gritty?

Most likely, dirt or sand from the leafy greens was not thoroughly washed off. There’s not much you can do to fix this once the pesto is made.

Did you make this spinach pesto? Please rate the recipe and tell me how it went in the comments below. Also, stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more delicious food and recipes!

Printable Recipe Card

A spoonful of spinach pesto laying on a stone surface.

Spinach Pesto With Arugula

Author: Kelly Neil
Homemade spinach pesto is WAY more delicious than any store bought version. Peppery arugula, salty Parmesan cheese, and toasted almonds make it a serious flavor booster for pasta, sandwiches, soups, eggs, and more!
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Jams & Preserves
Cuisine Italian
Servings 16 servings
Calories 163 kcal

Special Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Rubber spatula
  • Food processor or stand or immersion blender
  • Glass jar(s) with tight-fitting lid(s) for storage
Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams.

Ingredients
 
 

  • ¾ cup almonds, raw, slivered
  • 3 cups spinach
  • 1 cups arugula
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • ½ teaspoon salt, coarse or flaky
  • 1 clove garlic, small, peeled, end trimmed
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter the almonds on the sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. The almonds should be fragrant and golden. Set aside.
  • While the nuts are toasting, wash and dry the spinach and arugula (use a salad spinner if you have one).
  • Place the spinach, arugula, almonds, Parmesan, salt, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 5 to 10 times, or until the mixture is coarse and chunky.
  • With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor a couple of times. Once all of the oil is incorporated, run the food processor 5 to 10 seconds longer. Adjust the pesto to taste.
  • Spoon the pesto into the jar(s). Store, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes

  • Store the pesto in clean glass jars with tight fitting lids in the refrigerator.
  • Spinach pesto will keep in the freezer for up to two months.

Nutrition

Serving: 15gCalories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 184mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 640IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Let me know on Instagram @kellyneildotcom or tag #kellyneil!

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8 Comments

  1. I could see this coating some beautiful pasta or gnocchi, or as a spread on a panini. I always find pine nuts so expensive, so I like the use of almonds instead!

  2. I could not agree more about the parm! It makes this (and every other recipe it touches) so fabulous. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

  3. I love pesto! It always adds such a bright flavour wherever you add it. I’ve never made it with arugula and spinach before, and I bet it has a nice bitter bite. Delicious!!

  4. Like you, I’m a BIG fan of pesto. I’ve done plenty of variations over the years and I’m always looking forward to a new one. Last year I got a fair bit of arugula in my CSA and (sadly) I let a little bit of it go to waste. That stuff just doesn’t last long. So I have to say, I’m thrilled that I can use it in this fantastic recipe! Love that you used almonds too – they’ve got a great flavour that pairs so nicely with peppery arugula.

  5. I love that this pesto uses almonds instead of pine nuts! they’re so expensive nowadays!! now I know what to do with leftover spinach!!

  6. What a fantastic combination for pesto. Fresh pesto is the best and with these flavours, I bet it was delicious. And I know what you mean about real parmesan vs the shaker stuff. There is zero comparison for sure. Thankfully, ours isn’t quite as pricey here as back home. As much as I miss Newfoundland, i don’t miss the food costs…lol! Looks fantastic!

  7. Ooh, I love the idea of adding spinach to pesto. I haven’t tried. It’d be a sneaky way to add vegetables to dishes without the kids knowing.

  8. I never would have thought to make pesto from spinach – so healthy and so smart! And I love that you’ve given all those ideas on how to use it!

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