I am always a fan of pesto substitutes. I'm allergic to basil and haven't been able to have pesto in many, many years. Although I do remember it fondly back when I was a child and it was slightly less hazardous to my system! Spinach pesto and cheese dip are also great things to pull out during the holidays or when you're looking for something warm on a cold winter's night.
I also went all out for this pesto. I was half thinking about making lasagna or fondue. I didn't quite muster the amount of effort required for those endeavors, though! So, I tossed everything remotely close to spinach lasagna mixed with fondue and called it a spinach pesto.
The taste was so unbelievably close to a pesto dip that I had to keep telling myself that there was no actual basil in it. So, if you're likewise allergic to many herbs or just can't find them in season? Don't count out spinach and cheese in your pesto today!
I also had already made a batch of No-knead Dutch Oven Bread. Feel free to dip whatever you like in this spinach pesto. This is my favorite quick and easy bread recipe. I'm really not spectacular at baking and am not all that fond of precisely measuring out ingredients. So, if I can manage to male this bread recipe, so can you!
Gallery
Variations of Gruyère Spinach Pesto
I don't always try and make spinach pestos that precisely replicate the taste of basil pestos. Oftentimes, the dupe is just that. You will always be able to tell the difference and it's oftentimes better just to embrace the flavor of the spinach! Which is absolutely delicious and incredibly nutritious on its own. The amount of protein in spinach
This gruyère spinach dip is the perfect spinach pesto. It consists of spinach, gruyère, Greek yogurt, white wine, pecans, garlic, and shallots. I make spinach pesto because I'm allergic to basil. Don't get me wrong, it is delicious! And spinach is oftentimes more readily available than fresh basil. It also tasted so closely to actual pesto that I was wary of eating it. Even though I made it and know with 100% certainty that there is no actual basil in this. Although it is nice to know that there is a suitable dupe out there if you're looking for a flavor profile that is incredibly similar. Only homemade. So, obviously better.
Add spinach, garlic, shallots, Greek yogurt, white wine, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, nutmeg, gruyère, and pecans (all of the ingredients, except for the mozzarella) to a food processor.I added these a little bit at a time and pulsed, so as to not completely purée the spinach and pecans, so that there's a little bit of texture. Although this isn't explicitly necessary! The more that you purée the spinach, the more green the dip will be.Alternatively, you can chop the spinach and mix everything by hand, instead of in a food processor. It will not bee nearly as green and more true to spinach dips that you've seen before. Especially those with artichokes in them, which are also lighter in hue. But I am both being slightly lazy doing everything in a food processor. It's also the holiday season and I want everything to be green! So, let's go with calling this festive. Or, at the very least, Grinch themed.
Sautée
Once the ingredients are combined, transfer the spinach mixture to a skillet.
Bring to a simmer. Simmer for roughly 20 minutes, or until the dip has thickened.Greek yogurt is MUCH thinner than your typical cream cheese and sour cream variations. Particularly if you purée the spinach and add wine. You can substitute cream cheese and sour cream to skip this step. But I prefer food that tastes like food and not just dessert!
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