Arugula Pesto
Arugula basil is a simple and delicious twist on classic basil pesto! This recipe is easy to make, affordable and full of fresh flavor.
Posted by Kathryne Taylor on March 18, 2025
Arugula pesto is one of my favorite recipe components. It deserves the spotlight! If you enjoy arugula and basil pesto, you’ll love arugula pesto. It’s just as lovely as the regular kind.
As much as I appreciate traditional pesto made with basil, arugula pesto has a few advantages. For one, it offers an interesting twist on a familiar flavor profile. It’s also less expensive—buying fresh basil can add up at the grocery store. Year-round, it’s generally easier to find good arugula than basil. Lastly, arugula pesto doesn’t turn brown on the top like basil pesto can (no blanching required).
How to Make Arugula Pesto
To make arugula pesto, you’ll need some basic ingredients, starting with fresh arugula. I’ve enjoyed this pesto made with a variety of nuts—take your choice of walnuts, pecans, almonds or pepitas. For best flavor, toast them before using (see step one).
You’ll also need Parmesan (freshly grated, please), garlic, lemon juice, salt and extra-virgin olive oil.
The mixture comes together easily in the food processor. You’ll combine everything but the olive oil, then drizzle in the oil while blending. Try not to over-process the mixture so the oil doesn’t become bitter.
Arugula Pesto Serving Suggestions
Like classic basil pesto, this arugula pesto is fantastic on pasta (including pasta salad), pizza, grilled or roasted vegetables, sandwiches, stirred into chickpeas (add crumbled feta), and more.
Here are recipes on Cookie and Kate that already feature arugula pesto or could:
- Arugula-Almond Pesto Pizza
- Butternut Squash Pizza with Arugula-Pepita Pesto
- Gaby’s Pasta with Peas and Pesto
- Heirloom Tomato Pesto Pizza in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 167)
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Pesto Squash Noodles and Spaghetti with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
How to Toss Pesto with Pasta
Place a liquid measuring cup in the sink before you drain your pasta. Then, pour about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into the measuring cup before draining off the rest.
Off the heat, toss the pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water together until you’re satisfied with the consistency (I used roughly ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water for ½ pound of linguine).
More Pestos & Herbed Sauces
If you enjoy this arugula pesto, check out these irresistible herbed sauces. They can make a meal!
Please let me know how your pesto turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you and am eager to hear how you use this sauce.
Arugula Pesto
Arugula basil is a simple and delicious twist on classic basil pesto! This recipe is easy to make, affordable and full of fresh flavor. Recipe yields just over 1 cup pesto, which is enough to toss with 8 to 12 ounces of pasta, depending on how saucy you like it. Double the recipe to use an entire container of arugula (you can freeze the leftovers).
Ingredients
- ½ cup walnut or pecan halves, almonds or pepitas
- 2 ½ ounces fresh arugula (about 3 cups, loosely packed—thick stems removed if not using baby arugula)
- ½ cup (1 ¼ ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about three to five minutes. Transfer them to the bowl of a food processor and let them cool for a few minutes.
- Add the arugula, Parmesan, garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt. Process the mixture while drizzling in the olive oil, until it is mostly smooth.
- Transfer the pesto to a bowl. Taste and add more lemon juice, for zing (up to 1 tablespoon), or salt, for overall flavor. Use as desired. Leftover pesto keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. Or, freeze it for up to 6 months. (I like to freeze pesto in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop out the cubes and store in a freezer-safe bag.)
Notes
How to toss pesto with pasta: Place a liquid measuring cup in the sink before you drain your pasta. Then, pour about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into the measuring cup before you drain off the rest of the water. That pasta cooking water is pure gold—it contains starches that create a creamy emulsion and help attach the sauce to the pasta. Off the heat, toss pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water together until you’re satisfied with the consistency (I used roughly ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water for ½ pound of spaghetti).
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the Parmesan. You might like to finish your dish with a sprinkle of my vegan Parmesan.
Make it nut free: Substitute pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) for the nuts. They will toast more quickly—they’re done when they’re turning golden on the edges and making little popping sounds. Or, try hemp hearts instead.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Off to plan my spring garden so I include arugula (lol). This looks amazing!
We have a hard time keeping the bunnies away from our fresh greens! Best of luck with your garden endeavors!
Haven’t made this recipe, but I made arugula pesto last summer when I started to grow it and it grows like crazy! So pesto was a good way to use up my bumper crop! I used cashews though, and found that they were definitely a good nut to use with arugula so I recommend trying that!
Thanks Patricia! Your garden-fresh cashew version sounds wonderful. Cashews are neutral and creamy, so I could definitely see them being a great nut option here!
I am going to try this recipe. But, I want to only use whole foods. Could it turn out as well if I just used the avocado instead of the oil?
Hi Colleen, I think that would be a tasty substitution. Since avocado is so thick, you may need to add some water to thin the mixture as desired. Please report back if you try it!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hello Kate!
I’m wondering if the pesto retains the hotness of the rocket as it would when used in a salad? I prefer that it doesn’t!
Hi Helen! If your arugula is spicy, your pesto will be somewhat spicy. The cheese and nuts help temper it a bit. The arugula that I buy (baby arugula) is pretty mild.
Look refreshing, esp with the lemon juice. I have wild arugula growing now and can’t wait to try. Good idea Kate!
This pesto is absolutely divine!! I have also substituted spinach in this recipe so so good thank you so much Kate I love love your recipes and all your tips you’re my go-to girl!
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make, fairly inexpensive and the whole family really enjoyed it. Will definitely make it regularly.
Hooray! Thanks Carrie!
So yummy can u freeze this pesto ?
Hi Vicki, absolutely! It freezes well.
Kate, I remember using an arugula pesto following your cues, and it wasn’t with any of the suggestions above: it was with your zoodles with cherry tomatoes (which became another favorite)! That’s a really great substitute to basil since it’s in season all winter long
Thanks, Nath! I forgot that recipe includes an arugula option. So glad to know you’ve been enjoying arugula pesto!
Hi Kate,
Is there any reason why I could not blend in vegan Parmesan into the pesto before processing instead of regular dairy Parmesan?
Thanks!
Jan
Hi Jan, you sure could. I’d probably add it by the tablespoon, to taste.
ALSO, arugula is a cruciferous vegetable! So even MORE benefits!
Woohoo! I love arugula for all of its delicious qualities. :)
Can I substitute nutritional yeast for the parmesan?
Hi Leah, I wouldn’t substitute it 1:1 but would add it by the tablespoon, to taste. You might love it without it!
During the summer I make pesto with the basil from our garden. I was pleasantly surprised to find your recipe using arugula instead, which I can make all year long. It came out really good and tastes great. So far I’ve used it in a dish with chicken and butternut squash, and a dish with salmon on the stove top.
I just began following you after knowing how much I love your baked tofu recipe and having recently made your arugula pesto. Both are now on repeat, delicious and easy to follow. Thank you for your enthusiasm for eating healthy food!
Hi Kate!
I’m so excited to see your Arugula Pesto recipe! It looks vibrant and full of flavor, and I love that you’re using arugula for a peppery twist. Pesto is such a versatile sauce, and I can’t wait to try it on pasta, sandwiches, and even as a dip!
I appreciate the tips you included for storing it and using it in different dishes. This is going to be a great way to use up any extra arugula I have on hand.
Thank you for sharing such a fresh and delicious recipe!
Do I have to toast the hemp hearts, if using?
Hi Deepthi, you don’t have to toast hemp hearts, but doing so does bring out a subtle nutty texture.
While in Grad School in Hawaii, I rented an apartment (upstairs of house) with a huge basil bush in the backyard. We were given permission to use all that we wanted up to 80%. We made pesto all of the time. Lose the walnuts (too bitter unless the brown “skin” is removed) and pecans (too sweet – we aren’t making candy here). Use macadamia nuts – the Island King. We also would alternate between Parmesan and Romano cheeses. Ono! No ka oi! We also alternated between linguine and bucatini (I’m a sucker for bucatini). I have spoken!