Best Arugula Pesto Recipes

ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When they are chopped and adhering to the sides, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the walnuts. Turn on the machine, and process until they are finely ground. Scrape down the bowl again, and add the arugula and the salt. Pulse until the arugula is finely chopped, then turn on the machine and run while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, stop the machine, scrape down the sides and process for another 30 seconds or so. Scrape out into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind the mixture with the pestle for a smoother texture. Work in the cheese and combine well.

ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put the arugula in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the arugula and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the arugula into the ice water bath and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.
• Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the arugula and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and the vitamin C, if using. Blend for at least 30 seconds. In this way the green of the arugula will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Pull out before dinner to get to room temperature. Before serving, add the remaining 1 tablespoon toasted pinenuts.

ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• 1. In a food processor, combine the walnuts, garlic, arugula, Parmesan, and 1 tsp salt and pulse to blend. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil through the food tube in a slow, steady stream and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

ARUGULA AND WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.
• Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave it takes 2 minutes.
• Combine the arugula, walnuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
• Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.
• Mix with freshly prepared pasta of your choice. You may need to add a little bit of water or more olive oil to mix the pesto more evenly with the pasta.
• Makes enough pesto sauce for an ample serving of pasta for four people.

VEGAN LEMON ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Combine arugula, olive oil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until smooth.

BASIL-ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup oil and next 6 ingredients in processor. Process to thick paste. With motor running, add remaining 1/4 cup oil and 2 tablespoons water to processor. Blend until smooth. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Pour thin layer of oil over pesto; cover and chill.)

PUMPKIN SEED ARUGULA PESTO SAUCE (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Toast the pumpkin seeds by placing them in a skillet on medium heat until they start to brown a bit. (Or by placing in a baking dish in the oven at 475F for 8-10 minutes.).
• Place the toasted seeds in a food processor and grind until fine.
• Add the garlic and salt then pulse again.
• While the food processor is running, add handfuls of arugula and parsley through the top opening of the machine.
• Keep adding as these get blended in until all of the greens are incorporated.
• Pour the oil through the top opening and continue blending.
• You might have to stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
• Add more salt or oil to reach your desired flavor, then scoop the sauce into a jar, it will keep for about a week.

ARUGULA PESTO CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pulse arugula, basil, pine nuts, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until chopped. While processing, gradually add 1/4 cup oil in a steady stream until mixture is smooth. Using a shredder or spiralizer, shred zucchini lengthwise into long strands., In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add zucchini strands and chicken. Cook and stir until zucchini is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes., Remove from heat. Add tomatoes, pesto, pepper and remaining salt; toss to coat. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve using a slotted spoon.,

PENNE WITH ARUGULA AND WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat cook garlic in oil 5 minutes, then remove pan from stove top. Fill the food processor with arugula, loosely packed. Add walnuts and 1/2 of the warm oil and both cloves of garlic to the arugula in the processor. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to the processor bowl, set lid in place and pulse grind the mixture into a thick paste. Add any remaining arugula to the processor and grind into the paste by pulsing the processor again. Transfer arugula paste to a large pasta bowl. Stir in the remaining oil and the cheese. Taste pesto sauce and adjust seasonings.
• While cooking penne to package directions for al dente, watch the time. After about 6 minutes, add green beans to the pasta pot. The beans will cook along with pasta the last 2 or 3 minutes. Drain pasta and beans together in a colander then transfer hot pasta and beans to the pasta bowl with the pesto in the bottom. Toss pasta and beans with pesto for 2 to 3 minutes to combine and evenly coat the pasta and beans with the pesto sauce. Serve immediately.

PASTA WITH ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the walnuts, garlic, arugula, and cilantro or basil in a food processor or blender. Whirl them just until they are coarsely chopped. While the machine is running, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Transfer the pesto to a bowl. (At this point the pesto can be frozen. Thaw it before proceeding.)
• Stir the Parmesan cheese, salt, and cayenne into the pesto
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook it, stirring occasionally, until it is just tender. Drain the pasta, return it to the empty pot, and toss it with the pesto, adding a tablespoon or two of water if necessary to distribute the pesto evenly.
• Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl or to individual plates, garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and serve.

VEGETABLE AND BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO: MINESTRONE ALLA GENOVESE AND SANDWICHES WITH ARUGULA AND HAM: PANINI CON RUCOLA E PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add onion, potato and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 or 6 minutes alone, stirring frequently, then add the canned beans and the chicken stock. Cover the pot and bring the soup up to a boil.
• Preheat a panini grill or a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Build 4 panini: spread roll or bread with a couple ounces of cheese, then top with a few leaves of arugula and 2 slices of prosciutto for each sandwich. Place panini in sandwich press or onto hot, heavy bottomed pan. Top with another heavy skillet or a brick wrapped in foil to press sandwiches. Press sandwiches until crisp on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• When the soup is at a boil, remove the lid. Stir in the noodles and green beans and reduce heat to low. Simmer soup an additional 5 to 6 minutes then remove it from the heat.
• Combine basil, garlic, nuts and cheese in the food processor and turn it on. Stream in the extra-virgin olive oil and process until pesto is nearly smooth.
• Scrape the pesto into a small bowl. Add a ladle of the soup broth to thin the pesto, then add the pesto to the soup. Stir to combine and serve soup immediately with panini, for dipping.

SPINACH AND ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine spinach, arugula, garlic, salt, walnuts, cheese, lemon juice, and water. Process until they form a paste. Gradually blend in olive oil, taste adjust seasoning if necessary.

FUSILLI WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND CRISPY PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath. Stir the arugula into the boiling water and cook until it is bright green and tender, about 15 seconds. Remove the arugula directly to the ice bath and let cool completely, then drain, gently squeeze out the excess water and set aside. Do the same for the basil. Once the arugula and basil are blanched, cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add the arugula and basil to a food processor and blend until mostly pureed, about 30 seconds. Add oil, pine nuts, garlic and salt and pepper and puree for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the cheese and pulse, drizzling more oil as desired, until combined but not fully pureed, another 30 seconds. (See Cook's Note.)
• Place the pesto and butter in a large bowl and add drained pasta to the bowl, reserving some pasta water to thin the sauce as desired. Mix the pesto and pasta, season to taste and crumble the slices of crispy pancetta on top. Serve with extra grated Pecorino and a drizzle of olive oil.

SPAGHETTI WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND SEARED JUMBO SHRIMP

Steps:

• Blend the arugula and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup of oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Prepare the grill (high heat). Using a knife, cut the back of the shrimp. Brush the shrimp with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Grill the shrimp until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Toss the pasta with the pesto in the large bowl to coat, adding the reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten. Top with the grilled shrimp. Garnish with the lemon zest and parsley.

ARUGULA-BASIL PESTO WITH PINE NUTS, PARMESAN AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until lightly browned; let cool. Pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
• Add the arugula, basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until finely chopped.
• Add the parmesan and pulse to combine.
• Slowly pour in the olive oil, pulsing to incorporate. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the ricotta. You'll have about 1 cup pesto; use about 1/2 cup for 1 pound pasta.

PENNE WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• To prepare the penne:
• In a large saucepan of salted boiling water blanch the sugar snap peas for 45 seconds, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a skimmer to a large serving bowl, and toss them with 1/2 cup of the pesto. In the boiling water cook the pasta until it is al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta-cooking water, and drain the pasta in a colander. In the bowl with the sugar snap peas toss the pasta with the reserved pasta-cooking water, 1/4 cup of the remaining pesto, or to taste, and salt and pepper to taste.
• To make the pesto:
• In a food processor combine the arugula, the walnuts, the Parmesan or Sardo, the salt, and the garlic and pulse the motor until the walnuts are chopped fine. With the motor running add the oil in a stream and blend the pesto with hot cooked pasta, potatoes, or vegetables. The pesto keeps, chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap, for 2 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

ARUGULA BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Place all ingredients but the oil in food processor and pulse till chopped.
• Pour oil through feed tube while processing till creamy.

BASIL, SPINACH AND ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• For the garlic confit. Heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a small pan over low heat until warm. Add garlic cloves and cook until very soft, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic cloves, reserving both cloves and oil.
• For the pesto: Have a large bowl of ice water ready. In a small pot over high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, and blanch basil or chervil until tender, about 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to ice water. Place spinach and arugula in boiling water until bright green and tender, about a minute. Drain well and transfer to ice water. When greens are well chilled, drain well, place in a kitchen towel, and squeeze as hard as possible to remove excess moisture.
• In a blender, combine half the garlic cloves, half of the garlic cooking oil, half of the blanched greens (basil or chervil, spinach, and arugula), half of the hazelnuts and half of the ricotta salata. Blend five minutes.
• Add the remaining garlic cloves, garlic cooking oil, blanched greens, hazelnuts and ricotta salata. Blend, adding 1/4 cup additional olive oil, or more as needed, for two to five minutes, to make a thick but pourable pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend one minute more. If desired, serve over hot linguini or other pasta.

PESTO WITH ARUGULA

Steps:

• Place the arugula, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olives in a food processor, and chop to a coarse paste. Mix in olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Process until well blended and smooth.

CHEF JOHN'S ALMOND ARUGULA PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add arugula and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove arugula to a bowl full of ice water for several minutes until cold. Drain and wring out arugula.
• Pulse arugula, olive oil, almonds, and garlic together in a blender, scraping down the sides, until mixture just becomes a coarse puree. Pour puree into a bowl and season with salt.