Healthy Pesto
This vibrant, healthy pesto uses less oil and incorporates nutrient-dense ingredients like spinach, delivering all the fresh basil flavor you want without the heaviness of traditional recipes.
Equipment
- Food processor - or high-powered blender
- Small skillet - for toasting nuts
- Airtight container - for storage
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves - 90g, packed
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach - 30g, packed
- 3 cloves garlic - peeled
- 0.33 cup pine nuts - 40g, lightly toasted; walnuts work well too
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese - 50g, freshly grated; Parmigiano-Reggiano preferred
- 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil - 60ml; cold-pressed recommended
- 0.25 cup low-sodium vegetable broth - 60ml, or water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 0.25 teaspoon salt - or to taste
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
- red pepper flakes - pinch, optional
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and light golden, then transfer to a plate to cool.
- Rinse and thoroughly pat dry the basil and spinach leaves, removing any thick basil stems.
- Add garlic to the food processor and pulse 5-6 times until finely chopped, then add toasted nuts and pulse 5-6 more times until broken down but not pulverized.
- Add the basil, spinach, and grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor on top of the garlic and nut mixture.
- Drizzle in olive oil, vegetable broth, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Pulse 8-10 times, scrape down sides with a rubber spatula, then process continuously for 15-20 seconds until smooth but slightly textured.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, lemon juice, or Parmesan as desired, adding more broth if too thick.
- Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing.
Notes
- Toasting the nuts is non-negotiable - it brings out natural oils and creates a richer flavor that raw nuts cannot provide.
- Use fresh, high-quality basil for the best flavor. Wilted or yellowing basil will make your pesto bitter.
- Don't over-blend the pesto - you want some texture, not a completely smooth puree.
- Stretch your basil with spinach - it adds nutrients without changing the classic pesto taste.
- Prevent browning by storing with a thin layer of olive oil on top or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface.
- This pesto freezes beautifully for up to 3 months - use ice cube trays for perfectly portioned cubes.
- For a vegan version, replace Parmesan with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
- Substitute walnuts, almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds for pine nuts to save money while maintaining creaminess.
- When using with pasta, reserve some pasta cooking water and add 1-2 tablespoons to help the pesto coat every strand.
- Never microwave pesto - heat destroys the fresh flavor and bright color. Let it come to room temperature naturally instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 95kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 125mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 20IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 6mg
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