Easy Spinach Pesto Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my spinach pesto bitter? ›

“Extra-virgin olive oil contains bitter tasting polyphenols coated by fatty acids, which prevent them from dispersing. If the oil is emulsified in a food processor, these polyphenols get squeezed out and the liquid mix turns bitter.

Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you'd like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.

Anything sugary will work: granulated white sugar, honey, fruit juices, even sweet dessert wines. Acid in the form of vinegar or citrus juices can make a pesto taste less bitter and could even enhance the flavour of the sauce at the same time.

Adding a small amount of acidity (lemon juice or vinegar) and balancing that with a little sweetness (sugar or honey) is the best way to take the edge off a pesto that tastes overwhelmingly of garlic. Almost every cuisine on earth makes use of garlic, and it's a vital component in pesto.

The most common reason for pesto tasting bitter is that the olive oil is past its best and has started to turn rancid. If the pesto has been made in a food processor or blender, there's also the possibility that it has turned bitter from the crude, sheering action of the blades.

So, how do you avoid bitter pesto? One way you can combat this is to put a small amount (1/4 cup or less) of water in with the ingredients (minus the olive oil), just enough to make a paste. Then, after processing, transfer the paste to a bowl and gently mix in the olive oil.

Homemade basil pesto is a wonderfully versatile and tasty sauce/spread made from a handful of flavorful ingredients. It comes together in minutes and tastes worlds better than store-bought because it's so fresh.

Italian pine nuts are considered the finest in the world and are therefore eye-wateringly expensive. To make cost savings, many big producers source their pine nuts from China. Not a big issue, you might think, but these pine nuts are notorious for leaving a metallic aftertaste for some people, and that can last weeks.

Pesto can be a bit on the chunky side, or almost like a uniform green paste. It really comes down to personal preferences or what you're using it for, but smoother pesto yields a better flavour and greener colour throughout whatever you toss it through.

Put basil, pine nuts, cheese, garlic, canola oil, salt and pepper into a food processor bowl and process until finely chopped; do not over process, - you don't want the mixture to become a thick paste.

How do you fix broken pesto? ›

The first thing to try is adding more liquid. How much liquid to add depends on how much of the sauce is broken. If it is half-broken, add half as much again as the amount of oil that was used to break it in the first place. If it is completely broken, add equal volumes of oil and liquid.

You do not need to cook pesto, as its flavours are best enjoyed raw. Instead, allow the residual heat from your freshly cooked pasta to gently warm it as you stir it in. Why is my pesto bland? It's likely because you need to add more basil or salt.

Is there any downside to eating pesto? If you are allergic to pignoli (pinenuts) or walnuts the most common allergy inducing components of pesto, then there is a definite downside but there are many nut free pesto recipes. Pesto has a high fat (olive oil) content (if you are on a low fat diet).

The cause of pesto turning brown, or grey is usually because the herbs have started oxidising. The best way to slow that process is to reduce the amount of time the sauce is exposed to air.

FODMAPs are found in foods such as garlic, onions, and nuts, which are commonly used in pesto. Consuming large amounts of FODMAPs can lead to digestive symptoms, such as bloating, gas, and stomach pain.

Spinach can become bitter when sautéed due to its high levels of oxalic acid, which can be released when the leaves are cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Additionally, overcooking can break down the chlorophyll in the spinach, leading to a bitter taste.

Why does cooked spinach sometimes taste bitter? More mature spinach leaves contain some bitter compounds and a higher oxalic acid content. Many commonly-used cooking greens have this same issue.

To make arugula pesto less bitter, add basil to it. Basil is sweeter and softens up the spicy, bitter notes of arugula. We recommend using 1 part of arugula and 1 part of basil.

Spinach is the easiest leafy green to add to family dinners – it's affordable, quick to cook, the only prep it requires is washing it (or taking out of a packet if frozen), and it tends to be milder and slightly less bitter than some leafy greens.