A quick and easy pesto sauce recipe that uses spinach instead of basil! This delicious recipes takes just 5 minutes to make and a handful of ingredients, and features nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese as a vegan alternative.
Wash and prep the spinach: Start by submerging spinach in a bowl of water and cleaning it off, making sure to remove any dirt. Use a salad spinner to dry it or lay the spinach flat on a plate or kitchen towel.
Blend the greens, nuts, garlic, and oil: Toss the cleaned and dried spinach in a food processor. Next, add nuts/seeds and garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped, slowly drizzling in olive oil until the chopped ingredients are well coated in oil but still chunky.
Add nutritional yeast, spices, and lemon juice: Finish by adding in nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Give the pesto a taste and add more seasonings until it's flavored to your liking.
Notes
Nuts or seeds? Traditional pesto sauce uses pine nuts, but any nuts or seeds are perfect for pesto.
Prep ahead: Make this simple pesto up to 2-3 days before serving, or freeze until ready to use
Leftovers and storage: Leftover pesto should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and in the freezer for up to 2 months (possibly longer).
Nutrition notes: This recipe made as written (with vegan cheese and pine nuts) is plant-based and gluten-free. It is a good source of vitamin C, plant-based protein, and fiber.