Arugula Pesto Sauce
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.
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- 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