Pesto is powerful! When I eat it, I am immediately transported to a tiny table on a cobbled street in Italy, enjoying freshly made pasta and nice glass of red. Oh, what I would do to go back to Portovenere where a friendly signora taught me all about the power of pesto.
Oh, magical pesto
Pesto is magical for so many reasons. First, for having so few ingredients it really packs a lot of flavor. Second, it is incredibly easy to make if you have a food processor or blender. In less than five minutes, you can get in touch with your inner Italian. Third, it is extremely versatile. It can be a pasta sauce, smeared on toast and then topped with endless combinations, transformed to a pesto mayo in seconds; it can be a base for your pizza or compliment to your chicken, steak or potatoes; mix it into scrambled eggs or get wild and eat it by the spoonful. Lastly, you’re the boss of the recipe. Don’t like garlic? Leave it out! Want to use it as a sauce on pasta sauce or roasted spaghetti squash)? Add more oil. Pesto is easily adaptable to your taste buds.
Make this pesto your own
For this pesto, basil, traditionally the main ingredient, is swapped out with arugula, giving it a peppery taste. When my arugula is about to go bad, I make this pesto. I always have nuts in the house (I buy them from Costco and keep some in my pantry and freeze the rest) so there is no excuse. Keep in mind that the garlic will be raw, which has a potent flavor, so if garlic isn’t your thing, use sparingly and if you love it like me, throw in two cloves. You could also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat. And if you want to use is as a pasta sauce, just add a bit more oil until you get the consistency you’re looking for. Once you see how easy this is, you’ll be making pesto all the time and figure out the perfect balance of ingredients.
Get pesto-ing!
This really is so simple to make and is extremely versatile (this post has tons of ideas). It’s amazing that in under five minutes (really more like three) you can be enjoying your very own, homemade pesto. I promise, you’ll be hooked! Do yourself a favor and get a Costco sized bag of pine nuts (or walnuts) so you’re always prepared when you’re craving pesto or when your arugula is starting to look sad. As always, let me know how your arugula pesto comes out by leaving a comment below. Enjoy! Buen provecho!
Arugula Pesto
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 1-2 cloves of garlic (raw garlic has a strong flavor; I use 1 clove)
- 3 cups baby arugula (about 3-4 large handfuls)
- ¾ cup pine nuts or walnuts
- ½ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
- juice of ½ lemon
- ½ cup or more extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste (the cheese is already salty so I don't add any)
Instructions
- With the food processor running, drop garlic in feeding tube (this helps the garlic mince evenly). Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides and add arugula, nuts, grated cheese and lemon juice. Pulse to blend. With the machine running, add ½ cup olive oil slowly through the feeding tube, scraping down the sides when needed. Add more oil as needed until desired consistency is reached (you will need less oil if using as a spread and more if using as a sauce). Taste, adjust and serve.
Notes
If you’re into spicy, throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes.
