This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
5-minute arugula pesto made with garlic, walnuts and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This pesto is unbelievably delicious and packed with flavour. Use it on sandwiches, salads, pasta and more!
I love pesto of all kinds..we have recipes for basil pesto, pistachio pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, pesto alla trapanese (Sicilian) and now this incredibly delicious arugula pesto.
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s ready in just 5 minutes! Everything is blitzed together in a food processor and it’s done. So quick, easy and effortless.
You can use it as a spread on sandwiches, toss it through greens in a salad (really delicious), drizzle it on roasted veg or as a pasta sauce. We’ve been eating it a lot with gnocchi and of my goodness it is delicious.
My top tip – arugula (rocket) can have a strong peppery, almost bitter taste at times so if your pesto is a little too strong, add some fresh lemon juice and it cuts through the bitterness perfectly!
See the full recipe below plus our helpful step-by-step photos, tips and variations!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It- Arugula (rocket) – if you find arugula too bitter in general then you can substitute half of it for fresh basil or parsley.
- Walnuts – most nuts work well in this pesto. You can use pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts (like we have), cashews or almonds.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – you could also use Pecorino Romano.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
Making pesto couldn’t be simpler; put all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Adjust the consistency with more olive oil (photos 1 and 2).
Variations
- Add herbs – Swap half of the arugula for fresh basil or parsley. It’s such a delicious and easy way to switch it up.
- Add lemon – fresh lemon juice is a really good way to cut through the bitterness. Add it to taste once you’ve made the pesto.
Some delicious way to use pesto
The recipes below use different kinds of pesto (all delicious) but you can use the arugula pesto in any one of these recipes too!
If you’ve tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest or sign up to our Newsletter to see more of our delicious food.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 cups (45g) arugula (rocket)
- 1/2 cup (50g) walnuts
- 1/3 cup (65ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 scant cup (50g) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
Optional ingredient
- Fresh lemon juice, add this to taste if the pesto is bitter
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Adjust the consistency with more olive oil if needed.
- If your pesto is too bitter/peppery you can in some fresh lemon juice. Start with a small amount and add it to taste.
- Use the pesto straight away or store it in the fridge (see notes below).
Notes
Ways to use it
- Use the pesto as it is, emulsified with pasta water with pasta or gnocchi.
- Spread it on sandwiches (can also be mixed with mayo or sour cream).
- Served with roasted veggies or meat and fish.
- Add it to salads.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love your recipes. I have made several