Spinach is a wonder food.
Even Popeye knew it back in the 40s and 50’s. It is full of calcium, lutine, and lots of vitamin A. Truly a powerhouse in nutrition. It’s easy to grow, and is a cold weather veggie, making it perfect for early Spring and late Summer gardens. It’s prolific, and if you cut it back carefully, you’ll have plenty of spinach throughout the season.
I love fresh spinach, especially from the garden, or from our kitchen window in the winter.
When we plant our spinach, we plant TONS of it, and it always seems to be ready at the same time, even if we stagger the planting. After we get our fill of salads and dehydrated spinach powder over everything, we make spinach pesto. This easy to make pesto is delicious, hearty and with a light flavor. Super fast and perfect for a busy weeknight meal.
Not just for noodles, though!
This spinach pesto is great over baked chicken, mixed in with roasted veggies, or on a grilled cheese sandwich. Try this pesto pizza with spinach pesto for another delicious meal idea!
Spinach Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesean cheese
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Begin by washing the spinach leaves or soaking them in a solution of 10% vinegar to water for 10 minutes. Rinse well.
- Add to food processor or blender.
- Place the pinenuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. Add to spinach leaves.
- Finely chop garlic and add.
- Add the cheese, salt and pepper and begin to process the mixture.
- While processor is running, slowly add the olive oil.
- Add the lemon juice, and stir.
- Serve at once over hot pasta, or store in fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freezer for up to 6 months.
Heather’s homesteading journey started in 2006, with baby steps: first, she got a few raised beds, some chickens, and rabbits. Over the years, she amassed a wealth of homesteading knowledge, knowledge that you can find in the articles of this blog.
Mmm that looks so fresh and healthy! Yumm! Stopping by from the SITS Girls!
I love spinach, can’t get enough. So this sounds wonderful to me. Now if I can just get my husband (our cook) to make it. Stopping by from SITS Girls
I’m going to have to try this with walnuts as my tummy doesn’t do so well with pinenuts.
I’ve only ever made traditional basil pesto. This sounds so delicious, though, and my family loves spinach. I think we’ll have to add some more spinach to our garden this year!
Hello! Stopping by for #SITSblogging today. We have many of the same interests. I am trying my best to homestead and do organic cardening in the suburbs. We have 0.20 acre so I have to be very smart about how I plant. Look forward to reading more!
Such an easy way to add greens and herbs to your diet!
Oh, this is making me hungry right now! I really like pesto , but I’ve never tried a spinach pesto…must do that! #sitsblogging
I love fresh spinach! This recipe looks so simple and delicious. I definitely want to try it out! Already pinned!
Stopping by with comment love from the SITS girls!
Looks delicious! And does’t appear to be too difficult! Need to give this a try! Thanks
I had no idea you could do this with spinach. I use an almost exact recipe with our garden basil when it comes in all at once. I’m so curious if this would be bitter compared to sweet basil? It’s so healthy and would be a great spread for crostini.
Stopping by from The SITS GIRLS. This looks really easy to make and I’m sure a quick weeknight kind of deal. I will have to try it.
I love spinach pesto…make it all the time, along with kale, chard, parsley and cilantro pesto. perfect when basil is out of season!
easy and delicious sounding…my favorite type of recipe!
Thank you
best,
diane
Dropping by from SITS girls today.
#SITSBlogging
This looks delicious, easy to make and a great way to get more green veg in! Pinned!
Thanks for sharing on Tasty Tuesday. I love this, and am pinning for later.
Holy Yum Batman!!! I want some of that right this moment! I might have to get some spinach today hahaha
This looks so delicious!