Arugula Pesto
This arugula pesto recipe is a zesty recreation of an old favorite. This sauce is amazing to keep on hand to create quick lunches, dinners, or even snacks that have both amazing flavor and nutritional benefits. My favorite part — arugula pesto has almost as many greens as a salad, but can be disguised as a tasty pasta dish.
I absolutely love using arugula to make pesto for a few reasons:
Arugula is cheaper and more versatile than basil. If you purchase arugula at the grocery store, this is something you can have on hand to make salads, add to soups, or create a pesto in a flash. You can often buy large packages of arugula, making it a cost effective ingredient to keep in your refrigerator compared to the traditional ingredient used in pesto, basil.
Arugula adds a great flavor to homemade pesto. I love creating pesto that has big flavor, and utilizing arugula is a great way to add pepperiness and verdant flavor to your sauce. This flavor complements the richness of the olive oil, brightness of the lemon, and the sharpness of the parmesan cheese — creating a wonderful homemade pesto.
Arugula has incredible health benefits. Arugula is rich in calcium, vitamin c, and vitamin k - all important for nourishing and supporting your body.
What greens can you use in homemade pesto? I find baby kale, arugula, spinach, and (of course) basil to be the best greens to use in homemade pesto. These are delicate, rich greens that will provide a lot of flavor in pesto recipes.
What nuts can you use in homemade pesto? There is a ton of versatility in nuts you can use in pesto recipes! This recipe calls for walnuts because they’re rich in flavor and provide a nice sweetness to complement the bitter arugula. You can also use pistachios, cashews, pine nuts (the traditional choice), or even pecans to create a homemade pesto.
Can pesto be frozen? Yes, pesto freezes very well for months to come. You can choose to freeze it in a zipper bag, container, or in ice cube molds to be able to section off smaller portions when it’s time to use the pesto. I recommend using frozen pesto within 3-4 months to maintain maximum freshness.
Can I create pesto in a blender? Yes, you can use a blender to create homemade pesto instead of a food processor, which is my recommended method. When using a blender, work slowly and cautiously when combing your pesto so that you don’t over blend. Blenders typically will incorporate sauces more thoroughly and quickly, but with this sauce we want to maintain some of the textures of the ingredients.
How can you use arugula pesto? My favorite way to use arugula pesto is with pasta, however there are a few additional ways I recommend enjoying this sauce:
Drizzled over a freshly baked pizza
Tossed with fresh roasted vegetables, such as broccoli, sweet potato, or brussels sprouts
Mixed into Greek yogurt to create a tasty dip
If you choose to make this pesto into a pasta dish, simply boil about 5-6 ounces of pasta for two servings, drain the pasta, and combine the pasta and pesto in the saucepan to heat the sauce using residual heat.
How to make arugula pesto:
Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 oz Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup roasted walnuts
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2.5 oz arugula
- Lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- In your food processor, start by grinding the garlic and Parmesan with a little bit of olive oil until these ingredients are roughly chopped. By processing these larger, harder components first you’ll have a nice uniformity of sauce in the final product.
- Add the walnuts, arugula, and remaining olive oil, pulsing the food processor until you get a nice, chunky but evenly blended sauce.
- Finish with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
