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 and more!
Servings 1 cup
Calories 1596kcal
Ingredients
- 4 cups arugula tightly packed
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- ¼ cup grated pecorino romano
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- small pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (but only ¼ 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!
Video
Notes
- The amount of olive oil you add can depend on personal preference. If you like your pesto more solid, add ¼ cup olive oil. If you like your pesto more of like a saucy consistency, add the full ½ cup of olive oil
- Pecorino romano adds a a tangy, sharp bite and flavor to this pesto. But if you don't have pecorino on hand, you can omit it, and just add the ¼ 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.
- Add just a pinch of salt to the ingredients - the parmigiano and pecorino are already very salty, so you will not need to add much salt.
Nutrition
Calories: 1596kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 158g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1426mg | Potassium: 586mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2496IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 1252mg | Iron: 4mg