Spinach Pesto with pasta is one of the best ways that I’ve found to serve greens to my kids. It’s mild, easy to make, and is a super quick family dinner that’s ready in about 20 minutes! Plus, there are veggies and protein in the mix so you don’t even need any sides!
Easy Spinach Pesto
Okay, first things first: Yes, spinach pesto is green. And yes, I know that sometimes is a no-go with kids. BUT it pairs so well with favorite foods like pasta and pizza that it has, in my experience, a high chance of being accepted by the kids. It’s easy to make and is a great way to pack nutrients into those favorite foods.
TIP: You can make the pesto sauce while the pasta cooks—simply put all the ingredients into the blender or food processor then simply stir it together with the pasta and peas. Easy peasy!
Ingredients in Spinach Pesto Pasta
To make this easy family meal you’ll need:
- Spinach
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Sunflower seeds
- Parmesan
- Pasta
- Frozen peas
TIP: I like to use sunflower seeds in my nut-free pesto since they are less expensive than pine nuts and the flavor is really great. You can really use pine nuts, sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts according to your preference.
How to Make Spinach Pesto Step-by-Step
Making spinach pesto is super simple. Here’s a look at the process so you know what to expect.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Place the pesto ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend smooth.
- Place the frozen peas into the bottom of a colander. Drain the pasta, pour it right over the peas to thaw and warm them.
- Return the pasta and peas to the pot and stir in the pesto. Eat!
TIP: You can make this pesto ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container or in the freezer in a zip top freezer bag, pressed flat and with as much air removed as possible, for up to 3 months.
But wait! My toddler hates peas!
Fair enough! The beauty of this recipe is that you can use the pesto and the pasta and leave out the peas. You can sub in broccoli (toss it into the pasta water for the last 4 minutes while the pasta is cooking), diced zucchini (toss it into the pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes while the pasta is cooking, or leave out another veggie all together. There’s still a potent punch of nutrients in the pesto, so the peas are optional.
Iron-Rich Foods for Toddlers
Serving greens to kids straight up is often a hard sell. They can be tricky to chew and they often have strong flavors. But spinach is a great source of Vitamin K, folate, iron, B vitamins, vitamin C, and fiber, so I love that this Spinach Pesto is both kid-friendly and super nourishing. (Find more iron-rich foods for kids here.)
Tips for Making the Best Spinach Pesto Pasta
- Add in a handful of basil if you want, though we love this pesto without basil too.
- To freeze a batch for later, add 1 cup of pesto to a freezer bag, press the air out, flatten, and seal. Freeze for up to 2 months. It will quickly defrost at room temperature. (You can also break off a chunk and add it frozen right into whatever amount of pasta you make and as you stir it in, it will thaw.)
- Spread on pizza crust in place of pizza sauce for pesto pizza.
- Add a few cups of diced and cooked chicken, shrimp, or sausage if desired.
- Instead of peas, you can use broccoli (toss it into the pasta water for the last 4 minutes while the pasta is cooking), diced zucchini (toss it into the pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes while the pasta is cooking), or leave out another veggie all together.
- Use whichever pasta your family prefers. We rotate through many different types of pasta including Barilla Gluten-Free, Barilla whole grain, Banza chickpea pasta, the quinoa blend pasta from Trader Joe’s. My kids also love star pasta (from Target) and alphabet pasta.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you make it, so please comment below to share!
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PinDescription
This bright green pesto is cheesy and mild, making it a perfect sauce for a quick dinner of pasta and peas!
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta
- 4 cups lightly packed baby spinach
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 2 cups frozen peas
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Place the peas into the colander (still frozen) and drain the pasta over the peas. The peas will thaw almost instantly. Return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, add the spinach, olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and seeds to a blender. Blend very well until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Season to taste with salt if needed. Toss with the pasta and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
The pesto can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer in a zip top storage bag (pressed flat and with as much air removed as possible) for up to 3 months. This is enough sauce for a pound of pasta. Use a little less if your pasta package is smaller and store the leftovers for another day.
To Use this Spinach Pesto as Pizza Sauce: Simply spread the pesto onto prepared pizza crust and prepare as you normally would with regular tomato-based sauce. For a full size pizza, about 1/2 cup of pesto is usually the right amount. Adjust as needed.
To Make this into Kale Pesto: Swap in baby kale or regular kale removed of the stems for the spinach. Make as directed.
To Make this Dairy-Free: Omit the cheese and consider adding an extra 1/4 cup sunflower seeds. Add a little nutritional yeast for extra flavor if desired.
Add in a handful of basil if you want, though we love this pesto without basil too.
To freeze a batch for later, add 1 cup of pesto to a freezer bag, press the air out, flatten, and seal. Freeze for up to 2 months. It will quickly defrost at room temperature. (You can also break off a chunk and add it frozen right into whatever amount of pasta you make and as you stir it in, it will thaw.)
Add a few cups of diced and cooked chicken, shrimp, or sausage if desired.
Instead of peas, you can use broccoli (toss it into the pasta water for the last 4 minutes while the pasta is cooking), diced zucchini (toss it into the pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes while the pasta is cooking), or leave out another veggie all together.
I followed recipe exactly and it was a bit too strong on the green pea taste for our liking. My toddler didn’t care for it. I will try this again with maybe half the amount of peas. On the plus side it’s easy to make.
★★★
Thanks for the feedback—lessening the peas would be an easy adjustment!
We make this pesto very often and love it. I have some chard I need to use up – do you think it would work in place of spinach?
Yes though the flavor may be stronger—and it may turn out a little brown depending on the color of the stems of the chard.
Great! I’ll try it out and report back!
Hi Amy,
Would raw sunflower seeds work instead of roasted sunflower seeds? Thank you!
They would work great!
can i use frozen spinach instead of fresh spinach
I wouldn’t recommend it—fresh would work better.
I tried the recipe over the weekend, everyone loved it (includes my LO and Husband). one quick question, do you think i can use EVOO instead of Olive Oil will work
I used frozen before reading the comments and it actually turned out great! Thank you!
That’s so great to hear!
Could you use sunbutter instead of seeds? I bought some for my daughter but she doesn’t seem to like it. I was thinking this would be a good way to use it. If so, do you know how much I should use?
That’s an interesting idea! It would add nice creaminess though the flavor is a little different so I wouldn’t add more than 2 tablespoons to start with. If it’s not too noticeable in the mix, you can add a little bit more. (It seems to be very hit or miss with kids since it definitely has a different flavor than peanut butter!)
I know this is an older post, but do you have any recommendations for switching out the almond? I have a VERY allergic (to peanuts, tree nuts, & eggs) one and a half year old who loves pasta 🙂
Hi! You can use sunflower seeds if you can find some that are certified to be processed in a nut-free facility. I use them frequently and they have great flavor and results. Otherwise, you can just omit the nuts or seeds (and maybe up the cheese a bit:)