Sometimes your food needs a flavor punch. And what better way to get one than fresh, easy, herbaceous pesto? This Arugula Basil Pesto will enrich any dish every time.
There is nothing better than homemade pesto, and this 5-minute zesty sauce is the quickest and easiest way to turn boring into bold when it comes to food. It’s fragrant, vibrant, and out-of-this-world delicious!
As a mom-on-the-go who is obsessed with flavor, I love having this homemade pesto on hand to help uplevel my meals! I love prepping a batch at the start of the week and using it throughout.
With how often I make this pesto with arugula and my Serrano Pepper Chimichurri Sauce, sometimes my plate feels empty without a bold green sauce!
Arugula Basil Pesto Ingredients
- Arugula. Adding arugula to pesto gives it a delicious peppery flavor.
- Basil. The star of any pesto!
- Lemon juice. You will need 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, so one fresh lemon will be more than enough!
- Pine nuts. I love using pine nuts because they are super buttery and lend a creamier texture to your pesto, but you can also use walnuts or almonds with a similar outcome.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic goes a long way in this recipe.
- Olive oil. Blending the oil into the other ingredients is what gives you a creamy, saucy texture.
- Parmesan cheese. To thicken and add flavor.
- Salt & pepper. To season and ramp up the other flavors.
Arugula Basil Pesto Tips and Tricks
How to Make Pesto with Basil and Arugula
Fresh arugula, basil, garlic, and lemon juice go a long way in this recipe!
You can (and should!) use both the leaves and stems of your basil in this recipe. It avoids waste and the stems actually pack a lot of flavor!
Prep your garlic by peeling it. No need to mince or dice your garlic, you can add it to your food processor whole.
Squeezing your lemon juice into a separate cup (I like to use my measuring cup) allows you to more accurately measure your juice.
It also means that you can make sure that no lemon seeds accidentally fall into the pesto. Not even a food processor will be able to break a lemon seed down!
The best way to break down all of your ingredients and seamlessly blend them together is with a food processor or high-powered blender.
Making this pesto is as simple as adding all of the ingredients to your food processor or blender and blending on high until smooth.
Serving Arugula Basil Pesto
This Arugula Basil Pesto is so versatile!
It’s of course incredible in a pasta dish, like this Salmon Pesto Pasta and Burrata Pesto Pasta. I also love it for this Fig and Goat Cheese Flatbread.
Or it can be simply enjoyed as a dip for veggies or bread or used as a sandwich enhancer!
Storing Arugula Basil Pesto
Homemade pesto will last in an airtight container or sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. You can also freeze this Arugula Basil Pesto for up to 6 months.
The pesto is safe to consume raw. Just make sure you allow frozen pesto to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
More on Basil Arugula Pesto
Subbing Arugula for Basil in Pesto
Arugula is one of the best substitutes for basil in pesto along with other herbs mint, cilantro, parsley, and oregano, and other greens like kale or spinach.
Best yet, use a combination of basil with a leafy green, like arugula, to add a more dynamic flavor to your pesto.
Making Arugula Pesto Less Bitter
Between the arugula and basil, Arugula Basil Pesto can sometimes be bitter. In this recipe, we use olive oil and lemon juice to balance out the bitterness. If you feel the final product is too bitter, add some extra olive oil.
5-Minute Arugula Basil Pesto
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Food Processor *or
- Citrus Squeezer optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil (tightly packed)
- 2 cups arugula (tightly packed)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1 lemon = approx. 4 tablespoons juice)
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (or Nutritional Yeast)
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of pepper
Instructions
- Throw all your ingredients into a food processor!1 cup fresh basil, 2 cups arugula, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, ⅓ cup olive oil, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper
- Process on high until everything is finely diced. Voila! You’re done! Store or serve raw on pasta, pizza, or add more olive oil until you achieve desired consistency for a dip.
Pro Tips
- Try this pesto in this Pesto Butter Salmon, Canned Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad, or Mushroom Pesto Pasta.
- If you’re a huge fan of spice, you can add a little bit of crushed red pepper in this recipe for more of a kick.
