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Irresistibly bold and wildly delicious, this Arugula Pesto is the perfect twist on classic pesto sauce. Made with peppery baby arugula, aromatic garlic, zesty lemon, toasty pine nuts, and silky olive oil, this bright emerald-green arugula sauce tastes fantastic on everything from pasta to roasted veggies and beyond. Best of all, you’ll need just 6 basic ingredients and 5 minutes to make it!

Overhead photo of a bowl of arugula pesto sauce with a serving spoon inserted into the sauce.

Hi, friends! If you love silky pesto sauce and delicate arugula leaves, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to what is sure to become your favorite warm weather sauce—arugula pesto.

Table of Contents

About this arugula pesto sauce

Fresh, bright, and delightfully peppery, this arugula peso recipe is ridiculously easy to make (think about 5 minutes and zero cooking) and so flavorful you’ll feel like a culinary sauce master in no time!

Imagine this: a bold sauce that’s bursting with delicious notes of peppery baby arugula, aromatic garlic, nutty pine nuts, umami-rich grated cheese, tangy lemon, and rich olive oil. What you end up with is a vibrant and lively green sauce that’s as delicious as it is versatile. Whether you toss it with pasta, spread it on sandwiches or garlic bread, pair it with crostini, drizzle it over grilled chicken breasts or fish, or slather it on pizza, this pesto sauce with arugula is the easiest way to elevate your weekday meals.

And, best of all, you’ll need just five simple ingredients, plus a couple pantry staples like oil and salt, to make this no-cook sauce!

Why you’ll love this recipe

TL;DR? Get the gist on this green-hued beauty below:

  • Vibrant, Fresh, and Flavorful. With the combination of peppery baby arugula greens, zesty lemon, punchy garlic, savory pecorino, nutty pine nuts, and rich olive oil, this pesto recipe is far from boring or bland.
  • Covertly Wholesome. This arugula pesto is the perfect way to sneak more greens onto your plate without anyone ever being the wiser.
  • Quick and Easy with 6 Basic Ingredients. This recipe for arugula sauce comes together in 5 minutes, without any cooking, and just 6 ingredients.
  • Customizable. This pesto sauce is flexible and customizable. Replace some of the arugula with basil leaves for sweetness, swap the pine nuts for walnuts, add in green olives for briny flavor, and much more.
  • Delightfully Versatile. Homemade pesto tastes delicious on literally ALL the things. From sandwiches and salads to pastas, potatoes, gnocchi, sausages, etc.—it’s literally green gold.
Overhead photo of baby arugula, olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan, a lemon, and garlic cloves neatly arranged on a kitchen counter.

Ingredients for arugula pesto

  • Fresh Arugula. I recommend using baby arugula in this pesto recipe as it’s more tender and delicate in peppery flavor than mature arugula leaves.
  • Garlic. I recommend using the garlic to taste. Use one to two cloves for mild flavor and three to four for a punchier pesto.
  • Nuts. Toasted pine nuts lend a subtle nutty flavor and touch of creaminess to the pesto sauce. Substitute: Walnuts, pistachios, and cashews will work too, just make sure to toast them first for the deepest flavor.
  • Cheese. I like to use pecorino cheese since it’s slightly creamier. However parmesan cheese is more complex, so use what you love. Just make to purchase a block and freshly grate it for the best flavor.
  • Lemon. Acidity from fresh lemon juice brightens up the arugula pasta sauce. 
  • Olive Oil. The backbone of any pesto sauce is extra-virgin olive oil, so be sure to select a high-quality brand.
  • Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper. To enhance the overall flavors.

Recipe variations

  • Spicy Twist. If you prefer your sauce a little spicy, toss in a pinch or more of red pepper flakes for a hint of heat.
  • Bodacious Arugula and Basil Pesto. Swap out 1/4 cup of the arugula and use basil leaves for a sweet, herbaceous twist.
  • Go Extra Green. Substitute some of the arugula for your favorite greens, like spinach or kale.
  • Lemony Arugula Pesto. Incorporate more lemon juice and a little lemon zest to create a bright sauce.
  • Roasted Garlic Pesto Arugula. Swap out the regular cloves of garlic for twice the amount of roasted cloves of garlic for a rich, yet mellow garlicky flavor.
Overhead photo of baby arugula, toasted pine nuts, and chopped garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor - before being pulsed together.

How to make pesto arugula

Making this recipe for pesto arugula is an absolute breeze, here’s how:

  1. Pulse Arugula, Garlic, and Nuts: To the bowl of a food processor, add the arugula, garlic, and pine nuts. Cover and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary, about 6-7 pulses.
  2. Add Lemon, Stream in Oil: Uncover the bowl and add the lemon juice. Then recover, and with the food processor running, slowly stream the oil into the bowl using the feeding tube. Continue to process until the ingredients form a smooth sauce, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. 
  3. Add Cheese and Season to Taste: Uncover the bowl and add the cheese, pinch of salt, and pinch of pepper. Then, cover the bowl and pulse until the ingredients are just combined. Next, grab a spoon, and give the arugula pesto sauce a taste, adding more lemon juice, salt, and pepper for flavor and oil to thin the sauce.
  4. Enjoy or Store Arugula Pesto: Use the pesto arugula in your favorite recipes. Or store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Chef expert tips for perfect results every time!

  • High-Quality Ingredient. To make the best arugula pesto sauce at home, you’ll need to start with high-quality ingredients. Be sure to use good-quality extra virgin olive oil with a fresh and fruity flavor as the base. Also, be sure to purchase a block of parmesan cheese and freshly grate it yourself. And, use fresh garlic cloves and a whole lemon– none of that pre-minced or pre-juiced stuff in a jar or bottle.
  • Use Baby Arugula. Baby arugula is milder in flavor with a delicate, slightly sweet and pungent peppery taste. On the other hand, mature arugula is stronger in flavor with a spicy, slightly bitter taste. Make sure you use baby arugula for the best flavor.
  • Toast the Nuts. Toasting the pine nuts really enhances their nutty flavor, so don’t skip this step. Just be careful not to burn the nuts – aim for a light golden brown color.
  • Blend Properly. Once you have the pesto sauce started, be sure to stir or pulse in the cheese. Try to avoid over-blending the arugula sauce as that can turn it a brownish color.
  • Adjust to Taste. Everyone’s tastebuds are different. Be sure to taste this pesto sauce with arugula and adjust it to suit YOUR tastes. Add more kosher salt for overall flavor, lemon for acidity, oil to thin the sauce, and so on.
  • Store Properly. If you aren’t using the pesto arugula immediately, transfer the sauce to an airtight container and cover the surface with a very thin layer of extra virgin olive oil. Then, press a piece of plastic wrap to the oil before sealing with a lid. Unfortunately, just like basil leaves, arugula is prone to oxidation. Alternatively, simply freeze the homemade pesto in ice cube trays for easy grab-and-go portioning.
Overhead photo of green arugula sauce in a food processor bowl.

FAQs: frequently asked questions

You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 

Can I make arugula pesto without nuts?

Traditional pesto sauce utilizes pine nuts; however, you can absolutely make this arugula sauce without nuts if need be. Simply swap them out and use seeds, like pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds for a nut-free pesto recipe.

What can I use instead of lemon juice

Acids are imperative in cooking, so if you don’t have a lemon on hand or a bottle of lemon juice, an equal amount of lime juice will be your best substitute (one-to-one replacement).

However, you can also use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar. But make sure to just use a splash as they’re very pungent in flavor.

Can I use a blender instead of food processor?

You sure can! A high-powered blender works just as well as a food processor. Just make sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides as needed to ensure smooth blending.

How to make arugula sauce taste less bitter?

While arugula, or rocket pesto should be peppery and robust in taste, it should not be bitter. To avoid bitter pesto, make sure you pulse all the ingredients in the food processor until finely chopped before adding the oil. As well, make sure you use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. If your pesto still tastes bitter, try adding a bit more lemon juice to cut the bitterness, or increase the amount of grated cheese.

What if my pesto sauce is too thick?

Don’t fret—just add a little more extra virgin olive oil to thin the sauce out. However, if you’re planning on making this arugula pesto recipe in advance and storing it, I recommend making the pesto a little thicker. Then, simply thin it when you’re ready to use the sauce.

Close-up action photo of spoon serving pesto arugula from a white bowl.

Serving pesto with arugula

Endlessly versatile, pesto arugula sauce is a fantastic condiment to have on hand in the fridge—it’s so much more than a dip for bread:

Traditional serving suggestions

  • Pasta Sauce: Toss hot pasta with pesto sauce and a little pasta cooking water for a fast and flavorful pasta dinner—try it in this recipe for arugula pesto pasta, pesto tortellini recipe, pesto chicken pasta, and pesto couscous. Or use it in alternative pasta recipes, like this pesto spaghetti squash.
  • With Roasted Veggies: Roast up your favorite vegetables, like cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, or squash and drizzle the arugula sauce over top.
  • Sandwich Spread: Make boring, bland sandwiches a thing of the past and spread the flavorful pesto on panini sandwiches and wraps for a burst of zesty, peppery flavor. Or mix a little pesto with a little mayonnaise to create a pesto aioli. Think: arugula pesto mayonnaise on a deli turkey club sandwich.
  • Serving Sauce: Add a little pizzaz to your favorite Italian recipes by adding a dollop of peppery pesto sauce. I personally love it spread on baked garlic bread or dolloped on baked salmon with asparagus and this shrimp and potato dinner.

Unique serving ideas

  • Swirl into Soups: Stir a dollop of arugula pesto sauce into soups for a peppery punch, think: rotisserie chicken noodle soup, chicken white bean soup, and chickpea and tomato soup.
  • On Pizza and Flatbreads: Swap out traditional pizza sauce and use pesto instead. Toppings like spinach, roasted garlic, burrata cheese, and prosciutto work great here.
  • Mix into Eggs: Stir a little bit of homemade arugula pesto into your creamy scrambled eggs, mix in fluffy omelettes, or drizzle over poached eggs for a pop of flavor.
  • Dress Potato Salads and Pasta Salads: Forget the gloppy mayonnaise—dress your warm potato salad and pasta salads with pesto arugula for a bright and bold twist. Or just add a little pesto to this no-mayo potato salad or orzo pasta salad for extra flavor.

Storing leftovers

Refrigerator storage

  • Storage instructions: Transfer the freshly home made arugula pesto to an airtight container or glass storage jar. Then, use the back of a spoon or a butter knife to smooth the top of the sauce before covering the surface with a very thin layer of olive oil to create a seal. Next, lay a piece of plastic wrap over the pesto and gently press the plastic to the surface of the sauce. Finally, seal the container with a lid.
  • Store pesto arugula in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freezing instructions

  • Freezer storage: Divide the green pesto sauce out into smaller portions using an ice cube tray or small freezer-safe containers. If using ice cube trays, fill each compartment with homemade basil pesto and freeze solid. If using containers, be sure you leave a little head room at the top for expansion. Then, seal the containers, and label them with the date.
  • Store pesto with arugula recipe in the freezer for up to 3 months. (Please note, pesto may darken slightly in color during freezing; however, the flavor should remain vibrantly intact. If the top of the pesto does turn slightly brown, simply give it a good stir and the bright green color with typically come back to life.)
  • To use: Thaw the pesto sauce overnight in the fridge. When ready to use, stir the sauce mixture well to recombine the ingredients and use in recipes as you would fresh arugula pesto sauce.
Close-up photo of pesto sauce made with baby arugula.

Fresh and flavorful, this arugula pesto recipe is the ultimate way to bring bold, peppery flavor and vibrant color to your table. With its silky yet chunky texture, customizable ingredient list, and endless serving possibilities, this arugula sauce is about to become a staple in your kitchen! Grab your food processor or blender and let’s get superbly saucy. ☺️

Until next time friends, cheers!

Cheyanne

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More homemade pesto recipes!

Overhead action photo of a spoon stirring arugula pesto in a white bowl.

Arugula Pesto Sauce

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Irresistibly bold and wildly delicious, this Arugula Pesto is the perfect twist on classic pesto sauce. Made with peppery baby arugula, zesty lemon, toasty pine nuts, and silky olive oil, this bright emerald-green arugula sauce tastes fantastic on everything from pasta to roasted veggies and beyond. Best of all, you'll need just 6 basic ingredients and 5 minutes to make it!

Equipment

  • 1 Food Processor
  • 1 Rubber Spatula

Ingredients 

  • 2 ¼ Cups Baby Arugula – packed; washed and dried (46 grams / 1.6 ounces)
  • 2-4 cloves Garlic – peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1/3 Cup Pine Nuts – toasted (50 grams) (sub: toasted walnuts)
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil – or more as needed
  • ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano – (sub: parmesan)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice – or more to taste
  • To taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Pulse Arugula, Garlic, and Nuts: To the bowl of a food processor, add the arugula, garlic, and pine nuts. Cover and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary, about 6-7 pulses.
  • Add Lemon, Stream in Oil: Uncover the bowl and add the lemon juice. Then recover, and with the food processor running, slowly stream the oil into the bowl using the feeding tube. Continue to process until the ingredients form a smooth sauce, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
  • Add Cheese and Season to Taste: Uncover the bowl and add the cheese, scant ¼ teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper. Then cover the bowl and pulse until the ingredients are just combined. Uncover the bowl, grab a spoon, and give the arugula pesto sauce a taste, adding more lemon juice, salt, and pepper for flavor and oil to thin the sauce.
  • Enjoy or Store for Later: Use the arugula pesto in your favorite recipes. Or store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Alternatively, you can store it in a resealable, freezer-safe storage bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes

  • Arugula: I recommend using baby arugula for this pesto sauce as older, mature arugula is much more bitter in taste.
  • To Toast Nuts: Add the nuts to a dry skillet and place the skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently towards the end, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the pine nuts are fragrant and golden. Remove to a plate and let cool completely before using.
  • Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  • Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 
  • Yield: Heaping 1 cup, or enough for 1 pound of pasta.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal    Carbohydrates: 3g    Protein: 6g    Fat: 38g    Saturated Fat: 6g    Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g    Monounsaturated Fat: 23g    Cholesterol: 13mg    Sodium: 154mg    Potassium: 129mg    Fiber: 1g    Sugar: 1g    Vitamin A: 322IU    Vitamin C: 3mg    Calcium: 156mg    Iron: 1mg
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Italian

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