Find easy, yummy, nutritious recipes with pesto to make the most of the nutrient-dense sauce. With options including pasta, meatballs, pizza and more, these are some of our favorite ways to serve greens to kids.

pesto recipes in grid of images.

Pesto is one of our favorite healthy sauces for the flavor and also the nutrients. With a pile of greens in the mix, pesto is rich in vitamins and iron—and is often an easier sell with kids than straight up greens. To which I say: A win is a win!

Why These Recipes Work

With easy methods, a variety of ingredients and styles—including Spinach Pesto, Kale Pesto, Creamy Pesto, and more—you can learn how to incorporate nutritious pesto into a range of kid-friendly recipes.

Table of Contents

spinach pesto in jar with greens.

Easy Spinach Pesto

This quick, nut-free spinach version adds fresh flavor and greens to pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and more.

Easy Spinach Pesto
Pack your next pasta night (or pizza night) with nutrition using this super simple Spinach Pesto recipe. It's fast, budget-friendly, and allergy safe—and it stores well in the fridge or freezer for future meals!
Easy Spinach Pesto
spinach pesto in jar
Nut free pesto in ice cube tray before freezing.

Easy Basil Pesto Sauce

Classic basil flavor and a simple method make this classic pesto sauce an easy staple for family meals.

Basil Pesto Sauce
Learn how to make delicious (and easy) Basil Pesto that stays bright green without any fuss. Plus, find tips for how to use the pesto and how to freeze it.
Basil Pesto Sauce
Nut free pesto in ice cube tray before freezing.
nut free pesto pasta on plate with pink form.

Nut-Free Pesto

This bright, flavorful pesto is made without nuts, making it a handy allergy-friendly option.

Nut-Free Pesto (for Pasta or Pizza)
With just a few ingredients, bright flavor, 5 minutes of prep time, and zero nuts, this Nut-Free Pesto is perfect for dinner with the kids. Try it on pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and more!
Nut-Free Pesto (for Pasta or Pizza)
nut free pesto on plate with pink fork.
kale pesto in container.

Easy Kale Pesto

Tender kale blends into a smooth sauce that is delicious with pasta, pizza, or roasted vegetables.

Easy Kale Pesto
Try this healthy pesto with your favorite pasta or in place of tomato sauce on pizza! It's a kid-friendly way to serve up kale, and you don't have to worry about it turning brown if you store it.
Easy Kale Pesto
kale-pesto-in-container
broccoli pesto on spaghetti in blue bowl with pink fork

Easiest Broccoli Pesto

Broccoli and yogurt make this pesto sauce creamy, mild, and especially easy for kids to enjoy.

Easy Broccoli Pesto (for Pasta and Pizza)
This will likely make enough for two meals. You can freeze the leftovers for a future meal. (This recipe was updated to improve the taste and method in April 2019.)
Easy Broccoli Pesto (for Pasta and Pizza)
broccoli pesto on spaghetti in blue bowl with pink fork
avocado pesto pasta in two bowls with cheese.

Creamy Avocado Pesto

Avocado gives this pesto an extra-creamy texture while keeping the flavor fresh and bright.

Creamy Avocado Pesto
With a handful of nutritious, flavorful ingredients, this Avocado Pesto is such a delicious meal to share with the kids. It's fast, it stores well, and it's easy to customize for your family. Win! (This makes enough for 2-3 meals of pasta, so see the Notes for how to store.)
Creamy Avocado Pesto
Green pasta sauce pasta in two bowls with cheese.
Creamy pesto in bowl with hands holding bowl.

Easy Creamy Pesto

This Creamy Pesto comes together fast and makes an easy sauce for pasta, chicken, or vegetables.

Easy Creamy Pesto
With a very short ingredient list, the most delicious texture and flavor, and tips to customize it for your family, this Creamy Pesto is here to add some yum to mealtime. Plus, find storage tips, shortcuts, and more to make this as easy as possible!
Easy Creamy Pesto
Creamy pesto in bowl with hands holding bowl.
pesto pasta with peas in multiple bowls.

Quick Pesto Pasta and Peas

Tender pasta, sweet peas, and flavorful pesto combine in a fast family meal.

Spinach Pesto Pasta with Peas
This bright green pesto is cheesy and mild, making it a perfect sauce for a quick dinner of pasta and peas!
Spinach Pesto Pasta with Peas
pesto pasta with peas in multiple bowls.
pesto pasta salad in large bowl

Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

This fresh, flexible pasta salad is easy to make ahead for lunch boxes, picnics, or summer meals.

Easy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
This is an easy family dinner or lunch. I like to use Spinach Pesto for this, but any will work if you prefer to buy it pre-made from the store.
Easy Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe
pesto-pasta-salad-in-bowl
pesto-pizza-on-pink-plate

Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza

Pesto, mozzarella, and an easy crust create a flavorful pizza the whole family can share.

Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza
With three simple ingredients, iron and vitamin C in the sauce, and a kid-friendly format, this super easy Pesto Pizza is a perfect kids lunch or dinner that parents will enjoy, too!
Mozzarella and Pesto Pizza
pesto-pizza-on-pink-plate
pesto pizza rolls on wooden plate

Pizza Rolls with Pesto

Soft pizza rolls pair swirls of pesto with melty cheese in a fun, kid-friendly shape.

Homemade Pesto Pizza Rolls
With just 5 simple ingredients, you can bake Pizza Rolls with delicious flavor from pesto. These are versatile, perfect for any age, and a great make-ahead lunch or dinner option.
Homemade Pesto Pizza Rolls
pizza rolls on wooden plate
Pesto meatballs on baking sheet with sauce on side.

Favorite Pesto Meatballs

These tender meatballs get big flavor from pesto and pair well with pasta or simple sides.

Favorite Pesto Meatballs
Tender, flavorful, and easy to make and share, these Pesto Meatballs are a favorite family dinner. You can bake them in the oven or cook in the air fryer, and they're delicious with pasta or as meatball sandwiches.
Favorite Pesto Meatballs
Pesto meatballs on baking sheet with sauce on side.
mom and kids chicken and brown rice dinner

One-Pot Pesto Chicken and Rice

Chicken, rice, and pesto cook together in a single pot for an easy, flavorful family dinner.

One-Pot Pesto Chicken and Rice
With a quick cooking time and easy method, this Pesto Chicken and Rice is a delicious family meal to share. It's flavorful, versatile, and just so delish.
One-Pot Pesto Chicken and Rice
healthy chicken and brown rice on kids plate
focaccia sandwiches in container with hands on counter.

Focaccia Sandwich Recipe

Layer pesto and favorite fillings on focaccia for a hearty lunch or quick dinner.

Favorite Focaccia Sandwich Recipe
With an easy make-ahead option and the most delicious combination of flavors and textures, this Focaccia Sandwich is one of the yummiest lunches for us parents. It's great to take to work, to enjoy at home, or even to share with the kids! (I usually make half of the loaf at once if making lunches for myself for one week, then freeze the second half and use it for a future week.)
Favorite Focaccia Sandwich Recipe
focaccia sandwich halves in glass container.

How to Store

Follow the storage information in each recipe for the specifics, though also know you can store homemade pesto in the fridge for about a week and for months in the freezer. You can freeze pesto in an ice cube tray for easy future portions.

Best Tips for Success

More Easy Greens for Kids

I’d love to hear your feedback on these recipes, so please comment below to share!

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