Homemade super seed pesto recipe on plate with fresh basil and burrata

Homemade Super Seed Green Pesto with Basil and Spinach

Serves 4-6

Prep 10mins Cook 5mins

A vibrant, seed-forward pesto packed with sunflower, pumpkin, linseed, and pine nuts, perfect for pastas, sandwiches, or straight off the spoon.

INGREDIENTS

100 g                    mixed seeds & nuts
                              sunflower seeds       
                              pumpkin seeds
                              golden linseed
                              pine nuts
                              walnuts
                              sesame seeds
                             (use whatever you have!)

1 cup                    fresh basil leaves

1 cup                    spinach leaves

½ cup                 grated Parmesan cheese


½–¾ cup           olive oil
                            (to desired consistency)

½ -1                     lemon juice

1                           lemon zest

To taste              salt and black pepper 

METHOD

  1. Toast your nuts and seeds in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to get an even browning and be careful not to walk away - they can burn easily. After 3-5 mins your seeds will be browned and toasted. This deepens the lovely nutty flavour!

  2. Blanch the spinach and basil in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then immediately transfer to ice-cold water to shock the leaves and preserve their vibrant green colour—especially if you’re preparing this in advance.

  3. Add the toasted seeds & nuts and blanched leaves into a blender or pestle and mortar.

  4. Follow this up with parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and black cracked pepper to taste. (Optional add a table spoon of nutritional yeast for lovely omami flavour)

  5. Pulse in blender, careful not to over blend. Add more oil if the blender isn’t running smoothly or just to get a richer looser consistency.

  6. Plate up! Add another drizzle of olive oil, black pepper and lemon juice before serving.

  7. Eat by itself or pair with tomatoes in a sandwich, salad, green lasagne, pasta etc. You can pair this with anything and everything. I recommend having this by itself with some Superstraccia or Burrata (my fav brand is Julienne Bruno )

  8. Enjoy!