Arugula pesto is certainly one of my favourite recipe components. It deserves the highlight! For those who get pleasure from arugula and basil pesto, you’ll love arugula pesto. It’s simply as pretty because the common form.
As a lot as I respect conventional pesto made with basil, arugula pesto has just a few benefits. For one, it provides an attention-grabbing twist on a well-known taste profile. It’s additionally inexpensive—shopping for recent basil can add up on the grocery retailer. Yr-round, it’s usually simpler to seek out good arugula than basil. Lastly, arugula pesto doesn’t flip brown on the highest like basil pesto can (no blanching required).


How one can Make Arugula Pesto
To make arugula pesto, you’ll want some fundamental substances, beginning with recent arugula. I’ve loved this pesto made with quite a lot of nuts—take your selection of walnuts, pecans, almonds or pepitas. For greatest taste, toast them earlier than utilizing (see the 1st step).
You’ll additionally want Parmesan (freshly grated, please), garlic, lemon juice, salt and extra-virgin olive oil.
The combination comes collectively simply within the meals processor. You’ll mix every little thing however the olive oil, then drizzle within the oil whereas mixing. Strive to not over-process the combination so the oil doesn’t grow to be bitter.


Arugula Pesto Serving Options
Like basic basil pesto, this arugula pesto is improbable on pasta (together with pasta salad), pizza, grilled or roasted vegetables, sandwiches, stirred into chickpeas (add crumbled feta), and extra.
Listed below are recipes on Cookie and Kate that already function arugula pesto or may:
How one can Toss Pesto with Pasta
Place a liquid measuring cup within the sink earlier than you drain your pasta. Then, pour about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into the measuring cup earlier than draining off the remainder.
Off the warmth, toss the pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water collectively till you’re happy with the consistency (I used roughly ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water for ½ pound of linguine).

Extra Pestos & Herbed Sauces
For those who get pleasure from this arugula pesto, try these irresistible herbed sauces. They will make a meal!
Please let me know the way your pesto seems within the feedback. I really like listening to from you and am keen to listen to how you utilize this sauce.

Arugula Pesto
Arugula basil is an easy and scrumptious twist on basic basil pesto! This recipe is straightforward to make, inexpensive and filled with recent taste. Recipe yields simply over 1 cup pesto, which is sufficient to toss with 8 to 12 ounces of pasta, relying on how saucy you prefer it. Double the recipe to make use of a complete container of arugula (you possibly can freeze the leftovers).
- In a big skillet over medium warmth, toast the walnuts, stirring often, till aromatic, about three to 5 minutes. Switch them to the bowl of a meals processor and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes.
- Add the arugula, Parmesan, garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt. Course of the combination whereas drizzling within the olive oil, till it’s principally clean.
- Switch the pesto to a bowl. Style and add extra lemon juice, for zing (as much as 1 tablespoon), or salt, for total taste. Use as desired. Leftover pesto retains properly within the fridge, lined, for as much as 1 week. Or, freeze it for as much as 6 months. (I wish to freeze pesto in ice dice trays. As soon as frozen, come out the cubes and retailer in a freezer-safe bag.)
Notes
How one can toss pesto with pasta: Place a liquid measuring cup within the sink earlier than you drain your pasta. Then, pour about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into the measuring cup earlier than you drain off the remainder of the water. That pasta cooking water is pure gold—it comprises starches that create a creamy emulsion and assist connect the sauce to the pasta. Off the warmth, toss pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water collectively till you’re happy with the consistency (I used roughly ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water for ½ pound of spaghetti).
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the Parmesan. You may like to complete your dish with a sprinkle of my vegan Parmesan.
Make it nut free: Substitute pepitas (inexperienced pumpkin seeds) for the nuts. They may toast extra rapidly—they’re performed after they’re turning golden on the perimeters and making little popping sounds. Or, attempt hemp hearts as a substitute.
Diet
The data proven is an estimate supplied by an internet diet calculator. It shouldn’t be thought of an alternative choice to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation. See our full nutrition disclosure here.