Easy Arugula Pesto Recipe

This arugula pesto sauce is a great alternative to basil pesto! Arugula is available year-round, and gives a great flavor when used to make pesto. Not to mention, it can be used on so many things! From gnocchi, to pasta, crostini, pizza/focaccia and more!

Arugula pesto is a great way to use up an abundance of fresh arugula (because we all know that has happened to us at least once!).

Arugula is also perfect for pesto because it’s available year-round in large quantities (at the supermarket, at least! Basil, on the other hand, is only available in small quantities at the supermarket, so it’s best to make a traditional basil pesto in the summer when it’s growing locally in gardens.

This peppery arugula pesto is great used as a sauce on ricotta gnocchi, on a focaccia pizza, or just simply mixed in with pasta that will make a quick weeknight meal.

What is arugula?

Arugula, also known as rucola in Italian, is a peppery, leafy green. It’s part of the Brassica, or Cruciferous family, of which brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower and broccoli are also a part.

Are arugula and rocket the same thing?

Yes! They are. In North America, it’s known as arugula, and in Britain, it’s known as rocket.

The words are different in America vs. Britain because the American english word comes from the Calabrian dialect for arugula – aruculu, while the British english word comes from the northern Italian dialect – ruchetta.

This article from Bon Appetit goes into more detail about the etymology of the word.

What does arugula taste like?

Arugula tastes peppery, and slightly bitter. What does this mean? The best way I’ve heard it described is the way black pepper smells, arugula will taste like.

The general rule of thumb is that the larger the arugula leaves are, the more bitter they will be. So baby arugula that is bought in the supermarket will be less bitter than large arugula leaves that usually grow wild.

What is arugula pesto made of?

It’s made of very simple ingredients:

• Arugula
• Pine nuts
• Parmigiano reggiano
• Pecorino romano
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Salt

Using wild vs. baby arugula in this recipe:

Baby arugula is usually younger in age than wild arugula. The leaves are more tender and have a weaker flavor than the wild version. Wild arugula has more jagged leaves, and is more peppery in flavor.

Baby arugula is easily found at the grocery store, while wild is not. I usually only have wild arugula from my mom’s garden, and it grows in the summertime.

For this recipe, I used baby arugula, since it’s more readily available. You can also use wild in this pesto, but keep in mind that it will be more bitter than a version made with baby arugula.

Is the pesto bitter?

When made with baby arugula, this pesto is slightly bitter, but not overly so. When made with wild arugula, this pesto will be bitter, but still delicious. The cheeses and pine nuts add great flavors that balance out the bitterness.

How to make it – step by step:

Add all ingredients (but only 1/4 cup of the olive oil) to a food processor

Process in the food processor until all ingredients are well blended.

At this point, add more oil if needed, and process again. Your arugula pesto is ready!

Storing it:

There are a few ways to store this pesto.

Fridge:

Add the pesto to a glass or plastic container, and it will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Freezer:

Add the pesto to ice cube trays, small plastic bags, or small containers and freeze them in the freezer. The pesto will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Top tips:

• The amount of olive oil you add can depend on personal preference. If you like your pesto more solid, add 1/4 cup olive oil. If you like your pesto more of like a saucy consistency, add the full 1/2 cup of olive oil.
• Pecorino romano adds a a tangy bite and flavor to this pesto. But if you don’t have pecorino on hand, you can omit it, and just add the 1/2 cup of parmigiano.
• Alternative nuts to use instead of pine nuts: walnuts, almonds, pistachios or pecans will all work really well
• I used an 11 cup food processor, and the ingredients fit just perfectly before processing. If you’re using a smaller food processor, you may have to make the pesto in batches.
• The 1 garlic clove used in this recipe gives a stronger (but not overpowering) garlic flavor to the pesto. If you like less of a garlic flavor, use a small clove or half of clove of garlic.

Recipes to use arugula pesto with:

• Add it to a focaccia
• Add it to a pasta sauce like this pasta pomodoro
• Use it to dress ricotta gnocchi

If you’ve tried making this Arugula Pesto, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.

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