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Bright arugula pesto made with walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and roasted red peppers, all whisked into a vibrant sauce. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or grilled veggies!
Why I Love Arugula Pesto
I love to make pesto because of its versatility. But sometimes, when fresh basil isn’t growing in the garden, arugula is one of the best alternatives. I love a good classic basil pesto, but if I had to choose something a bit different, it would be this arugula pesto recipe, with its thick texture and appetizing reddish-orange color.
With a combination of peppery arugula, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and pepitas, this recipe is super easy to make. And the one surprising element is the roasted red peppers, which work to give this pesto its bright color.
The best part: it’s super versatile! Whether you want it to be a sauce, spread, or a dip, it can work any way you choose.
Arugula Pesto Ingredients
There are 9 ingredients that come together beautifully to form this arugula pesto, and each one has a specific reason:
- Arugula, with its iconic peppery (almost spicy) flavor, is usually readily available at most times during the year, making this pesto work during any season. Plus, it’s generally cheaper than basil, making it a great cost-saving alternative.
- Walnuts add a deeper, earthier flavor to the pesto, and they work well with the strong flavor of the arugula. Pine nuts are traditional, but it’s always fun to switch things up!
- Roasted red peppers add a bit of smoky flavor along with some sweetness. Their creamy texture when blended helps to create the perfect pesto texture. And their red color is what creates the delicious, vibrant color of this recipe.
- Pepitas offer a light flavor, similar to pine nuts (but cheaper!), that works to create a silky smooth texture.
- Garlic adds brightness and additional flavor to the recipe. It’s a must in any pesto!
- Parmesan cheese has an umami that just works so well when it’s blended into pesto. The nutty, salty flavor balances out the spiciness of the arugula.
- Salt and black pepper are always needed for depth of flavor.
- Olive oil is the ingredient that emulsifies everything, making a creamy pesto rather than a chopped-up mixture.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Arugula Pesto
With two simple steps, it couldn’t be simpler to make this amazing arugula pesto recipe.
Step 1: Combine the ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the arugula, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, roasted red peppers, pepitas, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Pulse the food processor 6 to 10 times to give everything a rough chop.
Step 2: Add the olive oil. While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately or store.
Serving and Storage
To serve: Once this pesto is combined in the food processor, it’s ready to serve in any way you so choose!
To store: This pesto should be stored in an airtight container and can be placed in the fridge. It can also be frozen (see below). Before storing the pesto, drizzle a layer of olive oil over the top surface to prevent it from turning brown. When ready to use, give the pesto a quick stir to mix in any of the oil that may have separated.
If freezing the pesto, place it in a freezer-safe container. When ready to use, simply thaw it and mix in any of the olive oil that may be sitting on top.
Freezer hack: For a speedy trick, add the pesto to ice cube trays and freeze them. Once frozen, remove them from the tray and store them in a bag or container. When ready to use, pull out one cube of pesto and thaw it.
Ways to Use This Pesto
There’s no way to list all of the amazing uses for this pesto, but here are a few that I love:
- Spread it on a sandwich with meat or vegetables. It will act as the perfect flavor addition!
- Mix it with mayonnaise or yogurt for an even creamier sauce/dip.
- Toss it into pasta and stir it in like a sauce. You could even add more roasted red peppers, arugula, and Parmesan cheese for a unique recipe.
- Spread it on a pizza dough and top with any number of toppings. It’s a different type of pizza sauce!
- Thin the pesto down with additional olive oil and use it as a salad dressing.
- Serve the pesto along with chopped vegetables.
- Spoon it over the top of grilled or roasted chicken or fish.
- Spread it on toast with arugula and a jammy egg.
Watch How to Make This Recipe
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Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed arugula
- ¼ cup roasted red peppers
- ⅓ cup toasted walnuts
- ⅓ cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ – ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients. Place the arugula, roasted red peppers, walnuts, pepitas, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and black pepper in the food processor. Pulse to combine and chop the ingredients, about 6-10 pulses.2 cups loosely packed arugula, ¼ cup roasted red peppers, ⅓ cup toasted walnuts, ⅓ cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic, ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Add the olive oil. Turn the processor on high and slowly drizzle in the olive oil through the feed tube until you reach your desired consistency. Personally, I prefer to keep mine on the thick side and thin it down at a later time, depending on what dish I'm preparing.⅓ – ½ cup olive oil
- Store. Scrape the pesto into an airtight container.
Nutrition
Styling: Addelyn Evans / Photography: Dera Burreson
