Are you as addled as I am from all the weekend’s Memorial Day activities? I’m also so giddy with today’s sunshine that I just had to share this recipe for Spinach Walnut Pesto – it simply screams ‘Summer Is Coming!’
There is nothing more fresh and green than pesto. I’ve always loved slathering it on pizza crust, or coating noodles with its green goodness, and, of course, licking it straight off the spoon. But, I’d never made it myself until now. I have a serious love-hate thing with my food processor, and sadly that sometimes gets in the way of simple brilliance in the kitchen. However, I was NOT going to let it get between me and this homemade, delicious and dare I say GORGEOUS condiment. I pulled up my big-girl britches and made it happen.
Giada and the Food Network showed me the way. Naturally, I had to make a couple of changes to her recipe to accommodate my perpetually poorly stocked kitchen. I did not have pine nuts or even fresh Parmesan — which is weird, cuz I always have fresh Parmesan, which I keep right next to the white American cheese 🙂 What can I say, I am a gourmet/garbage paradox. I substituted walnuts for the pine nuts, and – gasp – used a store brand grated Parmesan-Romano blend, and it was still the freshest, cleanest, most delicious tasting pesto I’ve ever had. I am not kidding.
Spinach Walnut Pesto is for you if you love pesto, if you love the color green, or if you think the word ‘slather’ is cool. Also you should try this if the over-powering flavor of basil – the leaf in traditional pesto – is not for you. Spinach is milder and simply clean-tasting without assaulting you with its overt herbiness. Basil is so aromatically aggressive that way 😉
This spinach walnut pesto was fantastic as a topping for a basic grilled chicken (wow), then I used the rest in a new version of my Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas (double wow). And, yes, I ate it off the spoon, too.
Spinach Walnut Pesto
Adapted from The Food Network
Makes about 3/4 cup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmesan/Romano
Directions:
Over medium heat, toast the walnuts in a nonstick pan for about 5 minutes, until they begin to brown and you can smell them cooking. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.
Next, put the spinach leaves, lemon juice, and walnuts into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse repeatedly until the mixture is smooth. While the processor is on, begin pouring in the olive oil slowly. Continue to process until the mixutre is smooth and creamy. Remove the blade, and stir in the cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference.
Enjoy!
Hi Julia,
I too, used to be frightened at the prospect of using the food processor. I became more familiar with it over the past 2 summers when we had bumper crops of homegrown basil. I prepared very large batches of traditional pesto, except I substituted walnuts for the pine nuts. Not that I have anything against pine nuts, it’s just that walnuts are much more economical, especially for big batches. Anyhow, you can freeze pesto into ice cube trays for later use. You see, I was not keen on using the food processor to make weekly batches of pesto, but if I could make A LOT of it at once and freeze it, that made it much more worthwhile. Now, I have a love affair with my Cuisinart. I began using it a TON more often when I started introducing foods (other than breast milk) to my baby. I have prepared and frozen many purees for her, also using the ice cube tray method. Once the cubes are frozen, I pop them out into freezer bags and label them. Anyway, while I enjoy the overt herbiness of basil in a traditional pesto, I am glad to have a spinach recipe to make in the meantime as I wait for my garden crop to mature. Oh yeah – and I am a registered dietitian too! I just discovered your site today and I plan to return often!
Hi Kristy – thanks so much for leaving a comment/conversation LOL 🙂 Always happy to meet a kindred spirit/RD. Thanks for the encouragement and ideas re: the food processor. I’m hating it less and less. I used to make baby food that same way – though I wish I had done it more often than I did. Loved the ice cube tray method! Anyhow, nice to “meet” you and stop back often!
Yummo!! A gourmet/garbage paradox! hahahaha Me too!!!
It’s so good that you get me 🙂
My daughter asked for salmon and pasta with peas for her birthday dinner tonight and I think I’ll mix this pesto sauce in! Thanks for the great idea.
Oh cool, I’m being featured in a family dinner! I hope you all love it. Happy birthday to your daughter!
P.S. I realized that the post somehow didn’t include the directions – though I’m sure you know how to make pesto, you’ll be happy to know I’ve since fixed that omission!