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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Roasted Garlic Pecan Spinach Pesto

A mellow, buttery pesto of toasted pecans, sweet roasted garlic, baby spinach and basil, with a gentle lemony brightness that spreads easily over pizza dough.

Roasted Garlic Pecan Spinach Pesto

Ingredients

  • 10 cloves30 gGarliccloves separated, left unpeeled
  • 3 tbsp40 gOlive oildivided
  • ⅓ cup chopped40 gPecans
  • 2 cups loosely packed60 gBaby spinach
  • ¾ cup leaves20 gFresh basilleaves only
  • 3 tbsp grated20 gGrated Parmesan
  • 2 tsp10 gLemon juice
  • 1½ tbsp20 gWater
  • ⅛ tsp1 gSalt
  • ¼ tsp0.5 gBlack pepper

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Set the unpeeled garlic cloves on a small square of foil, drizzle with one quarter of the olive oil, wrap tightly and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until very soft and golden.
  3. During the last 8 minutes, spread the pecans on a small baking sheet and toast them in the same oven until fragrant, then let them cool.
  4. Let the garlic cool for 5 minutes, then squeeze the soft cloves out of their skins into a food processor.
  5. Add the toasted pecans and pulse until finely chopped.
  6. Add the spinach, basil, parmesan, lemon juice, salt and black pepper and pulse until finely chopped.
  7. With the machine running, pour in the remaining three quarters of the olive oil, then the water, blending until a thick, spreadable pesto forms.
  8. Spread the pesto over pizza dough in place of tomato sauce before adding toppings; refrigerate any extra, covered, for up to 3 days.

Contains: Milk, Tree nuts.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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