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Spinach Pesto

June 24, 2008

spinach-pesto.jpg

One of the biggest culinary hits that I've made for Kenya so far is pesto. 
I'm not only talking about the traditional pesto made with basil, 
though. I'm talking about all different kinds like cilantro, parsley and now my new favorite, 
spinach. This recipe is bright green in color and since I added tofu, 
it has an even creamier texture then the traditional variety.
Spinach is rich in the antioxidants vitamin C, iron and beta-carotene. 
Since it can have a strong taste when cooked, this raw, pureed version 
takes on a delicate almost sweet flavor.
I mixed most of it into pasta and then with the remainder, I covered 2 
salmon fillets and baked them, one for me and one for Kenya, so 
everyone was happy.



We used these to make this recipe:

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Spinach Pesto  (Makes 3/4 Cup Pesto)

  • Prep Time:1 minutes,
  • Total Time: 5 minutes,

Ingredients

  • 1 cup spinach, packed
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon tofu, silken
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups pasta, cooked

Preparation

  1. 1. Place all the ingredients, except for the pasta, in a food processor and puree until smooth.
  2. 2. Mix with pasta and serve.
  3. *Place in ice cubes and freeze, transfer to a ziploc bag, label and freeze. When ready, toss in hot pasta to defrost or defrost in fridge for 24 hours.
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Comments






  1. amichala

    April 17, 2013 at 6:02 pm

    Reply

    is the tofu required? or is there a substitute for it?

  2. Pippa

    March 27, 2011 at 4:45 pm

    Reply

    Hello, please can you give me a bit more information about the ingredients prior to processing?
    - is the spinach fresh or frozen (takes up very different volume)
    - are the walnuts chopped?
    - is the parmesan shredded?

    thank you

    • Amanda

      June 27, 2012 at 11:54 am

      Reply

      Fresh spinach, you wouldn’t use frozen in a pesto. The walnuts will be chopped anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. I’m assume she means grated parmesan.

      This was delicious! I never thought of a spinach pesto. I used 1T of whipped cream cheese since I didn’t have the tofu and it was great! I cut it back to 1/4 cup of oil and it was still swimming in oil. Maybe I didn’t quite pack my spinach enough. My son who is going through a picky phase loved it, too!

  3. Crystal Brooks

    December 9, 2010 at 1:33 pm

    Reply

    I just made this for lunch for my 2 yr old and myself. She actually ate a couple bites before giving up. She doesnt want to eat anything this week! It was still pretty good and I subbed cottage cheese for the tofu. It was really thick though and I had to add more oil to be able to mix it with the pasta.

  4. Sarah

    November 4, 2010 at 11:12 am

    Reply

    this is yummy. my 2 y.o. still turns her nose up at pasta with pesto but she LOVES this mixed with her fried eggs in the morning. the oil in the pesto makes it perfect for frying and it gives the eggs a yummy cheesy flavor. so glad i could still put it to use. i’ve tried many other versions of spinach eggs that she’s refused to eat. finally, we have a winner!!

    • Tracy

      June 25, 2012 at 10:42 pm

      Reply

      Sarah, great idea to use with eggs! I think my granddaughter would approve. Do you scramble it in with the eggs or just fry them in it?

  5. Sam

    August 9, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    Reply

    I’m looking for a pesto recipe without cheese (my 19 month old is allergic to dairy). Would this work without the parmesan? Is there something else I could add to increase the flavor? Thanks and we love your recipes!

    • Kelly

      September 29, 2012 at 6:34 pm

      Reply

      You can substitute avocado for the cheese. This is a vegan method i tried and gives a creamy texture too. I’m making this for my family tonight!

  6. Martina

    June 18, 2010 at 11:27 am

    Reply

    Are the walnuts necessary? Any idea for a substitution? I have not given my little one any tree nuts yet due to some family allergies, but I love the idea of spinach making pesto! Thanks!

    • catherine

      June 18, 2010 at 1:42 pm

      Reply

      You can try it with pumpkin seeds and see how it is. I haven’t tested it so if you do let me know how they turn out!



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