Are you on the hunt for a great pesto that's allergy-friendly for (dairy-free and nut-free!) while also higher in protein and still delicious? This easy spinach pesto recipe is it! It's easy to make and there are so many ways to use it to flavor your food!
Recipe: $6.06 | Per Serving: $0.75 | Yield: 8 Servings
Do you have a favorite condiment? I'm always vacillating between salsa and PESTO. I'm a sucker for basil in general, but pesto of all kinds is a go-to condiment in my house! It's so fresh, really packs a punch of flavor, and there are so many different ways to use it!
This version uses a combination of spinach and basil. This is both for some nutrient variety and to result in a slightly sweet, less potent flavor. (Which means you can easily eat more of it!) For other pesto flavors, try this pesto with walnuts or my Low FODMAP bitter greens pesto!
Make a giant batch of this when basil is in season (and on the cheap), then freeze it for later. You can freeze in single portions in your ice cube tray or silicone molds. Just pop them out and store in a bag in the freezer for easy use.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Nut free pesto. This allergy-friendly pesto is made with protein-packed hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds instead of traditional pine nuts!
- Dairy free pesto! It is hard to find dairy-free and nut-free pesto. I have so many clients (and friends) with both nut and dairy allergies, and hemp seeds are a great way to get creamy, nutty flavor without the allergens!
- A great tasting pesto that's perfect for vegan, vegetarian and paleo diets! And with high-protein seeds, it's higher in protein than traditional pesto.
- Easy to make! Can be made in a food processor, magic bullet, or regular blender.
Ingredients
This easy spinach pesto recipe uses simple ingredients to create a healthy, nut-free, protein-packed option that's suitable for a variety of different diets. Here's what you need:
- Spinach and basil: This easy paleo pesto uses both spinach and basil. The spinach adds additional nutrients and mild sweetness, while basil provides the primary flavor.
- Pumpkin seeds and hemp hearts: Give the pesto some texture but making it nut-free! Hemp hears blend into a creamy consistency as a great alternative to pine nuts and Parmesan. If you can afford them, sprouted pumpkin seeds have more bioavailable nutrition, are gentler on the gut, and usually taste better!
- Lemon juice and garlic: You definitely want to use FRESH for both of these ingredients. In a simple recipe such as this one, the flavors of each ingredient makes a difference.
How to Select Olive Oil
You may have heard that we have a lot of trouble in the US regulating olive oil and avocado oil. Many of the cheaper brands were discovered to be adulterated and blended with other oils.
The US is known for its pretty lenient (or lacking) food regulations, so if you want to make sure you’re getting authentic olive oil in the US, here are a few things to look for.
- Typically, I look for extra virgin olive oil that has a country of origin listed, is sold in a dark green bottle, has a harvesting date, and has a country-specific or international seal of approval.
- When you taste it, it should have a flavor! Olive oil is a little fruity and a little peppery. If your extra virgin olive oil is flavorless, it is not olive oil (or it might be ‘light’ oil, which is not extra virgin).
Authentic extra virgin olive oil is a fantastic health food, I recommend it to my medical nutrition clients all the time. If you have been recommended to use more olive oil by your doctor or nutritionist, it is important to make sure you’re buying real olive oil to reap the health benefits.
- I usually recommend following the recommendations put forth by Consumer Lab when selecting an olive oil. If possible, it’s best to get extra virgin olive oil that has been evaluated by the International Olive Council.
- California Olive Ranch is a brand that is widely available across the US and stands up to quality testing. Their California Olive Ranch® Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Everyday Blend (from California) passes the Consumer Lab Reports’ quality screening.
- You can also find a list of some additional authentic olive oil brands here.
How to Make Spinach Pesto Without a High Speed Blender
This spinach and pumpkin seed pesto recipe works great in any blender! It may take a bit more time, but it turns out great each and every time.
- Wash and dry the basil and spinach well. If you have a salad spinner, it can help remove all the excess water.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a skillet over medium heat until they take on a little color and some of them start to pop. If I'm using sprouted pumpkin seeds, I sometimes skip this step.
PRO TIP: Watch the seeds closely and stir often to prevent burning as some nuts and seeds burn easily.
- Add the ingredients to the blender in the following order: basil and spinach, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
PRO TIP: I recommend starting with just one small clove of garlic here. Each clove is going to have varying potency and I have occasionally ruined a batch by starting with two cloves!
- Blend on high for about 10-20 seconds at a time. Stop from time to time to scrape down the sides. If things aren’t coming together very well or the blender is having a hard time moving, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Continue blending until the ingredients are finely chopped.
- Turn to low-medium speed and slowly drizzle the olive oil into the blender. Continue blending until all the ingredients are blended together.
PRO TIP: If you do not have a removable cap that allows you to slowly add the oil, you can just add it all at once and blend on medium-low speed for 10 seconds at a time, scraping down the sides as needed. If you blend olive oil on a high speed, it can develop a bitter flavor, so it is best to use medium-low speed here.
How to Use Pesto
I love all things pesto - as you can see from the many different iterations on my blog throughout the years!
I love to toss it with pasta or quinoa, top it on some salmon, or use it to make a cheater’s version of this lemon-basil salad dressing. (Just whisk together four tablespoons of pesto with olive oil and lemon juice and voila! Pesto salad dressing!)
- Chicken Pesto Skillet with White Beans
- Pesto Veggie Noodles Meal Prep
- Pesto Grilled Cheese
- Pesto Quinoa with Tomatoes
Expert Tips
- Add water only if you need it. While it helps blend the ingredients, it may also dilute the flavor and make the pesto change color (becoming a bit brown) in the fridge after a few days.
- For budget-friendly hemp hearts, trying buying them at Trader Joe's or order them online from Thrive Market (affiliate link). I find they have the best prices on hemp hearts.
- Store leftover pesto in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. To preserve the color, you can top the pesto with a layer of olive oil - this prevents oxygen from reaching the basil & spinach, which is what causes that brown color. You can also freeze it for several months.
FAQs
Yes, you can! It works great in this Paleo pesto recipe. It gives the pesto plenty of green color while also boosting the nutrition.
Yes, most definitely! Pesto is perfect to freeze and it's a great way to take advantage of lower prices on basil in the summer months. Make up a giant batch and freeze it in an ice cube tray or small containers so you can take out just the amount you need while preserving the rest for later.
More Healthy Dressing and Sauce Recipes
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Spinach Pesto (No Nuts, Paleo, Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves about 2 ounces
- 1 cup fresh spinach about 1 ounce
- ¼ cup pepitas / pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup hemp hearts hulled hemp seeds
- 3 teaspoons 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (juice from about half a medium lemon)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tablespoons water if needed
Instructions
- Wash and thoroughly dry the basil and spinach.
- In a small skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat until they take on a little color and some of them start to pop, about 2-4 minutes. Watch them closely and stir often to prevent burning. (Note: nuts and seeds burn easily so definitely watch them closely!)
- Add your ingredients to the blender in the following order: basil and spinach, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Blend on high for about 10-20 seconds at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides.
- If things aren’t moving very much, I would recommend adding 1-2 Tablespoons of water.
- Continue blending until the ingredients are finely chopped.
- Turn the blender to low-medium speed and if possible, drizzle in the olive oil to help it emulsify the ingredients. If you do not have a removable cap in your blender lid to allow you to drizzle in the olive oil, you can just add it all at once and blend on medium-low speed for 10 seconds at a time, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Blend until well combined and pour into a serving bowl or use immediately. When I'm serving this on the side, I like to drizzle it with a little more olive oil and garnish with more hemp seeds.
Yummy! This paleo blender pesto recipe looks is really awesome! This recipe gives me an excuse to trying it! Thanks for share...
Thanks Evie! Blender sauces for the win! :)