Rice bowl with spinach pesto

Here is how to prepare a delicious Rice bowl with spinach pesto, a green and healthy variant of the classic pesto. This recipe can be adapted according to your preferences or the vegetables you have available.

Ingredients

• 200 g of whole grain rice or another type of your choice
• 150 g of fresh spinach (or a mix of spinach and basil for a more traditional flavor)
• 30 g of pine nuts (or almonds if you prefer)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 40 g of grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino if you want a stronger flavor)
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste (optional)
• Water for cooking the rice
• (Optional) Proteins of choice: grilled chicken, tofu, chickpeas, shrimp…

Preparation

1. Start by washing the spinach thoroughly and let it dry (or dry it with a clean cloth or kitchen paper).
2. Boil the rice in salted water following the instructions on the package until it is cooked to your liking. Once cooked, drain it and let it cool down.
3. Meanwhile, lightly toast the pine nuts in a pan without oil until they are golden. Be careful not to burn them, a few minutes are sufficient.
4. In a blender, combine the spinach, toasted pine nuts, the garlic clove (you can remove the inner core for a less intense flavor), the Parmesan, salt, pepper and start blending while adding extra virgin olive oil in a stream until you obtain a creamy and homogenous consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
5. If you have chosen to add proteins to your bowl, cook them in the way you prefer: chicken or shrimp can be grilled, while tofu or chickpeas can be pan-fried with a drizzle of oil and your choice of herbs.
6. Assemble your bowl starting with a base of rice, add the spinach pesto and your chosen proteins.
7. Serve your rice bowl with spinach pesto still warm, or let it cool in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold as a crushed rice salad.

You can personalize your bowl with additions as you like, such as diced tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, nuts or seeds to add crunch and extra nutrients.

Curiosity

Pesto, although universally known in its Genoese version with basil and pine nuts, is a very versatile preparation that can be adapted in infinite ways. Using green leafy vegetables like spinach in pesto enhances its nutritional value by providing a good dose of iron and vitamins.