Fresh Pesto

Bright, fresh and full of basil, this pesto is different than most thanks to a cup of spinach and a few leaves of fresh mint. Pesto is one of the easiest things you can make from scratch and the results are always delicious! I think you will agree, this pesto brings out the best in any pasta, pizza crust or as a topping for a slice of crusty bread. It's easy to make in the food processor and is ready to serve in minutes.

Pine nuts are definitely on the spendy side, but fortunately, this recipe only needs ⅓ cup of the pricey little gems. I usually buy about two cups worth of pine nuts at a time - gulp- and keep them in the freezer until I'm ready to make this recipe. It doesn't make them any less expensive but that way I only deal with the sticker shock once in a while. Many store-bought pesto sauces include walnuts with the pine nuts so that is a nice option too, though adding walnuts does adjust the taste. Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below!

Fresh Pesto

Bright, fresh and full of basil, this pesto is different than most thanks to a cup of spinach and a few leaves of fresh mint. I think you will agree, this pesto brings out the best in any pasta, pizza crust or as a topping for a slice of crusty bread. It's easy to make in the food processor and is ready to serve in minutes.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 242kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Equipment

• food processor

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 2 cups fresh basil
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint - about three large mint leaves
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste - or about ¼ teaspoon
• ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

• Place all ingredients, except the olive oil in a food processor and blend until you get the ingredients chopped into very small pieces. Add the olive oil and blend again until smooth. Use with pasta, on pizza or as a spread on warm bread. 

Notes

Here's a stellar recipe to use fresh pesto, Four P Salad, it's delicious and perfect next to grilled burgers, chicken or as a side dish any time. Are you on the lookout for a good pasta sauce? You must try my Tomato-Cream Sauce. Like this pesto recipe, it's super easy to make and despite having "cream" in the name, don't worry about calorie overload. It's a cream sauce that's actually light on the cream, but heavy on flavor from fire-roasted tomatoes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 426mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1461IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 131mgIron: 1mg

Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.