I am a huge fan of arugula and its unexpected peppery bite. While it is one of my favorite salad add-ins, I craved more. I wanted warmth and depth of flavor that just doesn’t come from even the most tasty of cold salads.
When faced with an abundance of arugula on the eve of a forecasted ice storm, I knew I had to act fast. I harvested the goods and then headed for my pantry. That’s when it hit me.
Arugula Pesto!
Of course! It made perfect sense. Five minutes to harvest and gather the ingredients, another couple of minutes in the blender or food processor and I had a brilliant green pesto that carried just enough of that peppery kick to make people wonder how you did it.
Arugula Pesto
Prep time
Total time
Author: Michael Nolan
Ingredients
- a large handful of fresh arugula
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup olive oil +/-
- ½ cup pecan halves
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Place half of the olive oil in a blender or food processor followed by the arugula, Parmesan, and pecans. Pulse until everything begins to combine and drizzle in additional olive oil until it is thoroughly blended to a creamy consistency.
- Taste for seasoning before adding salt as the Parmesan can often be quite salty by itself.
- Toss pesto with hot pasta, add fresh cracked black pepper and garnish shaved Parmesan.
Notes
My arugula pesto will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, and it freezes perfectly for up to 30 days.
