Feta Pesto is a flavorful and easy way to make a homemade, delicious, versatile condiment fast. With just seven simple ingredients and only 5 minutes of time needed, this flavorful pesto recipe is about to become your new favorite topping.
Once you make homemade pesto sauce, it's like a whole new world opens up. It's so flavorful and fresh and honestly better than anything that you'll get from the store. With the simplicity of the recipe, it's hard not to make it homemade!
What I've also found after making this recipe a few times is that everyone eats it differently. I think it's delicious on a salad, but it's also really good as a topping for fish, tacos, and even as a dip for garden-fresh vegetables.
The lightness of it means that it's a hit during the summer months and its flavor of it will have you craving more. It's really an easy win to have in the fridge at the drop of a hat.
Be sure to check out my Red Pesto Pasta for another delicious way to make a homemade topping or sauce.
Ingredients to make Feta Pesto
Baby spinach - Baby spinach adds excellent nutrition and gives the spinach pesto that lovely green coloring.
Fresh basil - Using fresh basil leaves is highly recommended as the flavor stands out.
Fresh oregano - The same goes for using fresh oregano. Dried spices can be fine, but fresh always wins out in a taste test.
Almonds - While you'll find many pesto recipes using pine nuts, almonds are the star of the show here. They add a slight creaminess and hearty flavor.
Garlic - Minced garlic or fresh garlic cloves are best.
Olive oil - Extra-virgin olive oil is needed to keep it thin and smooth.
Feta cheese - The added salt of the feta cheese pairs perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.
How to Make Feta Pesto with Spinach
Step One: Combine herbs, almonds, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Step Two: Add the oil and mix well.
Step Three: Add the feta and pulse just until it is chopped.
Expert Tip: You may need to stop and scrape down the sides to get it all mixed and blended well.
Variations
Add some spice - If you want a little bit of heat to your pesto, red pepper flakes can easily be added.
Use varied nuts - Pistachios and pine nuts could also be added to the feta pesto recipe for another pop of flavor and taste.
Add fresh herbs - Putting more herbs like fresh sage leaves and parsley will change the taste. You can even add a bit of fresh mint.
Add lemon juice - For a citrus balance, you can always add a little bit of lemon juice, lemon zest, lime juice, or lime zest as well.
Common Questions
What other cheeses can you add to pesto?
I like to use sheep's milk feta, but you can also opt for parmesan cheese as well. You're going to want to add a cheese that enhances the flavor of any dish that you're adding the pesto to.
What foods does pesto go with?
Pesto is really versatile in one you can add it to. If you want to keep it gluten free, you can add it to salads or to cooked fish or chicken.
If you want it to be the sauce used in hot pasta like penne, farfalle, fusilli, or other types of al dente noodles, you can do that as well. A lot of people will use this instead of tomato sauce. Try feta pesto in place of the sundried tomato pesto in our Red Pesto Pasta.
I also think that pesto tastes delicious as a spread on crostini, wraps, and sandwiches. If you're eating low carb or keto, you can add a little bit of this pesto to a lettuce wrap as well and it's divine.
If you have celery stalks, carrots, or cherry tomatoes, it makes a really great dip as well to pair with them.
How do you store leftover pesto?
If the feta pesto is in a large bowl, you'll want to add it to a jar or container with a lid. Keep it airtight and keep it in the fridge. It needs to remain cool.
For the best results, eat within 5-7 days. You may need to stir it again before using it the next time.
It's also important to note that you always want to use a clean spoon or fork if you're dipping into the pesto jar.
You can also freeze pesto for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 2 tablespoon fresh oregano
- ¼ cup almonds
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup feta cheese
Instructions
- Combine herbs, almonds, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Add the oil and mix well. Add the feta and pulse just until it is chopped.
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