Nut-Free Spinach Pesto Recipe (Allergy-Friendly + Budget-Smart)
on Aug 14, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This nut-free spinach pesto is a vibrant twist on the classic – thick, garlicky, and full of fresh spinach with extra freshness from some parsley. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or stir in into grains. This no-basil pesto is versatile, quick to make, and packed with flavor and greens.
If you’ve got a bag of spinach and 10 minutes, you’ve got pesto. This spinach pesto might just become your new green sauce obsession: it’s bright, garlicky, and packed with the kind of earthy freshness that makes everything taste better. Think pesto, but with a veggie boost that’s perfect for pasta, crostini, sandwiches, or stirred into soups or grains. If you’ve got someone in your life with a nut allergy (or just don’t have pine nuts lying around), this spinach-based pesto brings all of the vibrant flavor with none of the risk.
I like to add parsley into the mix for color and freshness, but that’s totally optional. This pesto blends up faster than it takes to boil a pot of noodles. And it’s a whole lot cheaper than packaged pesto, which is always a win.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.
What's In This Post?
Why Make Nut-Free Spinach Pesto?
- Perfect for those with nut allergies
- Spinach brings a mild, fresh flavor, and a hit of iron and vitamins
- Parsley gives it a grassy lift that keeps it from being one-note.
- Budget-friendly: No pricey pine nuts means that this is a pesto you can make often and use generously.
- Kid-friendly: Milder than a basil-based pesto, and great for introducing more greens into your family meals.
Ingredients
- Garlic – For a bit of a zingy spiciness, read the note in variations for a softer version.
- Scallions – For a very mild onion-y flavor.
- Parsley – Parsley has a wonderful herbaceous, earthy, and slightly peppery flavor.
- Spinach – Spinach has a very mild flavor and will balance out all the other flavors in the pesto.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – This offers a creamy and rich consistency.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Parmesan cheese – Fresh Parmesan will add a bit of saltiness and help all the ingredients meld together.
Variations
If the sharpness of raw garlic is too much for your gang, try this: chop the garlic and sauté it in the olive oil in a small pan over very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, just until it is soft and golden but not browned. This will take some of the bite out. Cool, then proceed with the recipe. Use the garlic-infused oil in this recipe, or save it for other recipes.
Parsley Pesto
Using all parsley will produce a pesto with a very pronounced herbal flavor. You can also switch the proportions, using 3 cups fresh parsley and 1 cup spinach, which will soften the herbal flavor a bit.
How to Make Spinach Parsley Pesto
- Combine in food processor: Place the garlic, scallions, parsley, and spinach in a food processor or blender and pulse until everything is roughly chopped. Add the pine nuts, if using, the oil, salt, and pepper, and process.
- Add Parmesan and finish: Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan.
Storage
Spinach pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it in ice cube trays, then pop the cubes into a zip-top freezer bag. Grab what you need as you need it. It will last in the freezer for 4 months.
Cooking Tips
- Use fresh spinach for the brightest flavor and color.
- Don’t over-bend – pulse for texture.
How to Use Spinach Parsley Pesto
- Toss with pasta or gnocchi
- Spread onto crostini, bruschetta, or sandwiches
- Dollop into soups for a fresh finish
- Stir into scrambled eggs (serve with ham and impress your kids with green eggs and ham!)
- Toss with roasted veggies
- Mix with Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayo for a dip
- Use as a sauce for Grilled Chicken Breasts, shrimp, or steak
- Spread the pesto inside garlic bread before baking
Check out 10 Things to Make with Leftover Pesto
Spinach Pesto Questions
I really prefer fresh, but if all you have is frozen, squeeze out all excess water first.
Sure. Try nutritional yeast for a vegan option.
About 5 days in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
10-Minute Nut-Free Spinach Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup minced scallions
- 1 cup packed parsley leaves
- 3 cups packed roughly chopped fresh spinach
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse or kosher and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- ⅔ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the garlic, scallions, parsley, and spinach in a food processor or blender and pulse until everything is roughly chopped (or use a mortar and pestle). Add the oil, and salt and pepper and process, scraping down the sides, part way through, until everything is well blended.
- At this point, for best texture, you should transfer the pesto to a small bowl or container before stirring in the Parmesan, but you are welcome to throw the cheese into the food processor and pulse to blend.
Notes
- If the sharpness of raw garlic is too much for the taste buds of your people, try this: chop the garlic and saute it in the olive oil in a small pan over very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, just until it is soft and golden but not browned. This will take some of the bite out. Cool, then proceed with the recipe.
- Spinach Pesto: Use double the amount of spinach and skip the parsley for a plain spinach pesto. Or cut the rest of the ingredients in half, and only use the 2 cups spinach.
- Parsley Pesto: Using all pesto will produce a pesto with a very pronounced herbal flavor. Either double the amount of parsley and omit the spinach, or cut the rest of the ingredients in half and only use the 2 cups parsley.
- This pesto will last for about 5 days when tightly sealed in the fridge. The same for Spinach Pesto or Parsley Pesto.
- This pesto freezes beautifully! Just prepare the pesto as instructed, but wait to add the parmesan. You can freeze it in greased ice cube trays, and when you are ready for a single serving, thaw it in the fridge overnight and mix in the Parmesan. The pesto will stay good in the freezer for up to 5 months.
If I make several bottles do I refrigerate or freeze for future use. How long can it be refrigerated and/or frozen?
Pesto is a great ingredient to have on hand in the freezer! I’ve always make a big batch the base sauce without the Parmesan, then freeze serving-sized discs in muffin tins… Bag it, and add a disc or two to drained pasta in the original pasta pot over low heat, and add the Parm. I’ve used various pesto recipes this way up to 6 months past the original freeze date, and it makes meals incredibly quick!
1st time making pesto. I did mix some sesame oil with olive oil. I’ll be sure to save this recipe! Turned out delicious!
Made half recipe for us today while making dogs food. Yes they love herbs too, This will be great on our salmon filets tonight. I pour extra olive oil on top and freeze rest