I’ll tell you exactly when arugula pesto became my secret weapon: last spring, my garden went wild with arugula. Too much to eat in salads, but not enough to start a farmer’s market stand. Enter: pesto. I tossed a mountain of peppery leaves into my battered old food processor (she’s loud, but she hasn’t failed me yet) with whatever was left in my pantry. And you know what? It worked. Big time.
This isn’t the kind of pesto that whispers its presence in the corner of your plate. This is a sauce with backbone. The arugula brings a bright, peppery kick. Walnuts—yes, always toast them or you’re just wasting time—add this subtle roasted richness. You get a creamy finish that could make a Monday night roast chicken feel like you spent the afternoon at a trattoria.
If you think arugula is only for fancy brunch salads or sandwiches, you give up halfway through, think again. Pesto makes it go anywhere, fast. I use it in ways I probably shouldn’t admit: dolloped on eggs, as a dip for cheese crisps, even stirred into warm vegetables when I just cannot face another green smoothie.
And yes, those SEO folks want me to tell you this is an arugula pesto sauce. Or arugula walnut pesto. Or even pesto with arugula. Google-friendly words aside—I just call it my “bland-food’s new best friend.” It’s Keto-friendly, bold, and a genuine “throw it on everything” situation.
To make the Arugula Pesto, you will need the following ingredients:
In a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels until lightly browned in spots, about 8 minutes.
Remove the garlic cloves from the pan, let them cool, and then peel off their skins.
In the same skillet over medium heat, toast ½ cup nuts until lightly browned. Alternatively, heat in a microwave on high heat until you get the roasted flavor, 1 to 2 minutes.
In a food processor, add 2 cups arugula, ½ raw garlic clove, ½ teaspoon salt, toasted walnuts, and 6 roasted garlic cloves. Pulse while drizzling ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil into the processor.
Scrape the mixture from the processor into a bowl. Stir in ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Make a taste test, and adjust flavors to your liking.
You can serve it with pasta, over freshly roasted potatoes, or use it as a sauce for pizza.
No fancy chef gadgets needed. My Kitchenaid food processor (a wedding gift, I think?) is the workhorse. A good cast iron skillet turns raw walnuts into gold every time and does double duty roasting garlic. A decent chef’s knife will keep your fingers intact as you hack at mounds of arugula—assuming you haven’t just dumped it straight from the bag. (No shame.) Oh, and a wooden spoon for that satisfying final Parmesan swirl. If you have a measuring cup, that’s a bonus. I sometimes eyeball the olive oil. Don’t tell my mom.
If you love heat, toss in a pinch of red pepper flakes or dice up a jalapeño (seeds out if you’re not extreme). It wakes up the walnut and arugula combo faster than my morning coffee.
Got a nut allergy in the house? Been there, done that. Sub in pumpkin or sunflower seeds for the walnuts. Still crunchy, still delicious—still crushes every bland store-bought pesto I’ve tried.
Time for real talk. Pasta? Not in my house. I slather this on steak, swirl it into zucchini noodles, or scoop it onto roasted cauliflower. If you’re meal prepping, this pesto will rescue rubbery chicken and “week-old veggie drawer” finds. For the company, put out a bowl with cheese crisps or spoon it over grilled shrimp. Want easy? Try it as a dip with cherry tomatoes, or slice some cucumber and watch it disappear. You could even drizzle it over a quinoa bowl for days you’re living on the wild side.
Absolutely. Skip the Parmesan and go for nutritional yeast—or your favorite plant-based cheese. Nutritional yeast gives you that hit of cheese flavor, minus the cow.
Do you have a blender? Use it. It’ll work, but you might need to stop a few times and scrape down the sides so you don’t miss any walnut chunks. (Been there, lost a spatula doing this. Don’t make my mistake.)
In an airtight container, it’s totally happy for a week. Here’s a trick straight from my “cook once, feed twice” family motto: freeze any extra pesto in ice cube trays. You get perfect, pop-out portions for later. Toss a cube into scrambled eggs, soup, or, let’s be honest, straight onto your lunch plate.
This arugula pesto is a flavor boost, armor for bland dinners, and one more reason not to skip your greens. Enjoy making it yours!
To many, pesto may evoke images of basil thriving in the sun of Italy's Riviera, yet the world of pestos extends far beyond this classic. This Arugula Pesto takes on a unique character, combining peppery greens with the rich earthiness of walnuts and the unmistakable warmth of garlic. Perfect for elevating simple dishes to something special, it can be enjoyed with pasta, roasted vegetables, or simply spread on crusty bread.
To be honest, I don't really like arugula, but in this pesto it's just amazing.
