Arugula Walnut Pesto Pasta
A bright, peppery arugula pesto with walnuts tossed through pasta for a quick weeknight meal.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry pasta (gemelli recommended)
- 4 cups arugula (packed, baby arugula preferred)
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, add the arugula, olive oil, garlic, walnuts, grated Parmesan, salt, and pepper to a blender.
- Pulse the mixture until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed; if the pesto is too thick, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and blend until you reach the desired consistency.
- Toss the drained pasta with the arugula-walnut pesto, adding more reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and help it coat the pasta.
- Serve immediately and top with additional grated Parmesan if desired.
Equipment
- 72 oz countertop blender
- pasta pot
Notes
- Wash and thoroughly dry arugula before using.
- Adjust garlic amount to taste; start with one clove if you prefer less heat.
- Freeze extra pesto in ice cube trays for small portions.
- Use reserved pasta water to thin pesto to your preferred consistency.