Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Greens & Aromatics
- 100 g fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
- 20 g fresh basil leaves, leaves only
- 20 g garlic cloves, peeled and roughly sliced
- 40 g pine nuts (pinoli), lightly toasted
Binder & Seasoning
- 60 g parmigiano-reggiano, finely grated
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 g coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 145 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 196 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 4 mg
- Potassium
- 100 mg
- Calcium
- 89 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 22 mg
- Phosphorus
- 74 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 65 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 23 mcg
- Water
- 15 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Thoroughly wash and dry the spinach and basil. Any residual water will prevent the oil from emulsifying properly and lead to a watery pesto.
In a dry pan over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and golden. Let them cool completely before processing.
Place the sliced garlic cloves, toasted pine nuts, and salt into the food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely minced and the mixture looks like wet sand.
Add the spinach and basil in batches if necessary. Pulse until the greens are finely chopped. Add the lemon juice during the final pulse.
With the processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a thick, creamy emulsion forms. Scrape down the sides once.
Transfer the pesto to a mixing bowl. Fold in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano by hand with a spatula until fully incorporated.
Chef's Notes
- Because this version uses significant garlic, the 'bite' will develop more as it sits. If serving immediately, it will be quite sharp.
- Spinach provides a more iron-rich, earthy flavor compared to the peppery sweetness of basil. I kept a small amount of basil to maintain the classic aromatic profile.
- If the garlic is too intense for your palate, blanch the whole cloves in boiling water for 2 minutes before processing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Keep in a jar with a layer of oil on top. Spinach pesto stays green longer than basil-only pesto.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
Reheating: Do not heat directly; toss with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water to warm through.
Cultural Context
While Pesto alla Genovese is the gold standard, 'Pesto di Spinaci' is a popular modern variation that utilizes the year-round availability and mild flavor of spinach to create a more nutrient-dense and budget-friendly sauce.
