Description
This Arugula Pesto is made with a combination of baby arugula and basil, garlic, pistachios, fresh lemon juice and zest, extra virgin olive oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. It’s a delicious sauce you can toss with pasta, add to a sandwich, pizza, veggies, or top on chicken.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup arugula (I use baby arugula)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (or baby spinach or more arugula)
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced
- 1/4 cup salted roasted pistachios
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 small lemon, zested
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the arugula, basil (or spinach or more arugula if using), garlic, pistachios, salt, and black pepper. Process the mixture while drizzling in the extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Add the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest and pulse 2 to 4 times to combine. Or you can gently stir in the cheese, lemon juice, and zest until combined. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice, salt, or olive oil as needed. Use as desired.
Notes
- How to use arugula pesto with pasta: Cook your favorite pasta noodle to al dente according to the package instructions. About 1 minute before the pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto, adding a little of the reserved pasta cooking water until your desired consistency is reached. I use about ½ cup of reserved pasta water for 1 pound of penne.
- How to store: Leftover pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- How to freeze: You can freeze pesto for up to 6 months. Add it to a freezer-safe bag or freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop out the ice cubes and store in a freezer-safe bag. Let the pesto thaw in the fridge overnight, then use as desired.
- Pistachio subsitute: Use walnuts, cashews, or pine nuts.
- Make this nut free: Use pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or roasted sunflower seeds intead of pistachios.
- Make this vegan / dairy free: Omit the cheese or add a little nutritional yeast if desired.
- Nutrition information is a rough estimate based on 4 servings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 49g
- Calories: 257
- Sugar: 0.8g
- Sodium: 551mg
- Fat: 24.8g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.7g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 4.7g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Protein: 5.3g
- Cholesterol: 11mg