Spinach Pesto Pasta 🌿🧄🍝 Fresh, Garlicky, and Creamy-Green With a Bold Herb Punch

This pasta delivers on brightness and bite — tender noodles coated in a vibrant spinach pesto that’s earthy, garlicky, and packed with flavor.

It’s lighter than classic basil pesto but still rich, thanks to good olive oil, toasted nuts, and a handful of Parmesan. Weeknight simple, dinner party pretty.

Ingredients (Serves 3–4)

For the pasta

• 12 oz pasta (fusilli, penne, spaghetti, or orecchiette)
• Salted water for boiling
• ½ cup reserved pasta water

For the spinach pesto

• 3 cups fresh spinach (packed)
• ½ cup fresh basil or parsley (optional, for depth)
• ⅓ cup toasted walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds
• 2–3 cloves garlic
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup olive oil (plus more to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

To finish

• More Parmesan
• Extra olive oil or lemon
• Optional: chili flakes or toasted breadcrumbs

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta
Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.

Step 2: Make the pesto
In a food processor or blender, combine spinach, nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and lemon juice. Pulse until finely chopped. Stream in olive oil while blending until smooth but textured. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3: Combine with pasta
Toss hot pasta with the pesto, adding splashes of reserved pasta water until everything is glossy and well coated.

Step 4: Serve hot or warm
Top with more Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice, and any optional toppings.

Flavor Variations

• Add arugula, kale, or herbs like mint or cilantro to the pesto
• Stir in cherry tomatoes or roasted red peppers
• Add cooked shrimp, chicken, or white beans for protein
• Crumble feta or goat cheese over the top for tang
• Serve chilled as a pasta salad with extra lemon

Pro Tips

• Blanch spinach quickly if you want a brighter green and milder flavor
• Don’t over-blend — pesto should have some texture
• Toast nuts for extra depth and keep them unsalted
• Use the pasta water — it helps the pesto cling and emulsify
• Taste and adjust with more lemon, cheese, or oil as needed

Final Thoughts

Spinach Pesto Pasta is clean, green, and endlessly riffable — the kind of pasta that feels light and wholesome without sacrificing bold flavor. It’s fast enough for a Tuesday but elegant enough for guests.

Blend it. Toss it. Taste the green magic. 🌿🧄🍝

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