Arugula Pesto with Pasta
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Total Time
10 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
36 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Condiments
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Cuisine
Italian
Arugula Pesto with Pasta
Description
Arugula Pesto with Pasta creates a fresh, zesty sauce using chopped garlic, toasted pine nuts, pecorino cheese, arugula, lemon juice, and olive oil. The ingredients are traditionally ground together in a mortar and pestle to form a paste, or alternatively pureed in a food processor, combining flavors gradually to control the texture. Olive oil is added to achieve a loose sauce ideal for coating pasta.
The sauce offers a bright, slightly peppery and nutty taste with a hint of acidity from lemon juice. The toasted pine nuts add crunch and depth, while the pecorino cheese adds a salty, savory character. The arugula’s boldness is softened by the olive oil and balanced by garlic’s pungency.
This pesto can be served tossed with freshly cooked pasta for a flavorful meal. It pairs nicely with a dry rosé, crisp white wine, or certain beers including pale ales, session IPAs, or wheat beers. The sauce also works well as a spread on bread or as a condiment. Storing the pesto covered with olive oil or plastic wrap helps maintain freshness.
Ingredients
PESTO
- 3 garlic chopped, cloves
- 2 tablespoons pine nut chopped, toasted
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons cheese I like pecorino, grated
- arugula chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste
- olive oil (use the good stuff)
Instructions
- Put the garlic and pine nuts, plus a pinch of salt, into the mortar and pound it until the bits no longer jump out of the mortar. Add some of the cheese and some of the arugula a little at a time and keep pounding and mixing with the pestle. Keep doing this until you have a pretty good paste. Grind in the lemon juice, then drizzle in a little olive oil and keep grinding and pounding. Keep doing this, little by little, until the pesto is the consistency you want: You'll need between 1/4 and 1 cup, depending on how loose you want the sauce.
ALTERNATE METHOD
- Put the pine nuts, garlic, salt, cheese, arugula and lemon juice into a food processor and buzz into a paste. You will need to scrape down the sides of the food processor a couple times. Then, drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running until you have a sauce the consistency you want; loose for pasta, tight for bread.
- Cover the pesto with a layer of olive oil, or set plastic wrap directly on the pesto's surface (this prevents the arugula from turning brown), and set it aside at room temperature before eating.
Notes
- Pair this pesto with dry rosé, crisp white wine, or beers like pale ale, session IPA, or wheat beer for complementary flavors.
- This pesto remains enjoyable even with more common beers like Bud or Coors.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 36 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 36kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 3mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 18mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 26mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 28IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 23mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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