Arugula Pesto Recipe With Walnuts and Pecorino Romano

Arugula pesto is an Italian condiment using fresh arugula instead of fresh basil. Some alternative pesto recipes still include basil as a background flavor component. Changing the greens in pesto also allows you to play around with the other ingredients. Traditional basil pesto has pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, but swap those out for walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and Pecorino Romano cheese for a different flavor.

Arugula is a peppery dark leafy green, and baby arugula is the most common at the grocery store. Mature arugula leaves are more bitter and astringent than baby arugula but also work in pesto. The traditional way to make pesto is in a mortar and pestle, but modern recipes call for using a food processor or small chopper.

Use peppery and nutty arugula pesto in any of the three ways below.

1. 1. As a dipping sauce: Make a thick arugula pesto and serve it with raw vegetables or grilled meat as an accompanying dipping sauce. The garlic, arugula, cheese, and olive oil in the pesto work with various other flavors, too.
2. 2. As a marinade: Coat raw meat like chicken, pork, or steak in arugula pesto and marinate it overnight. Since arugula pesto is low-acid, there is little to no risk of changing the texture of the meat with a long marination time.
3. 3. As a pasta sauce: Whether it’s a cold pasta salad, zucchini noodles, or a traditional pasta recipe, arugula pesto pasta is a typical dish in Italy and the United States. Toss the pasta with some pasta cooking water and arugula pesto to create a thick and bright green sauce.

Store homemade pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. The top layer of the pesto discolors, similar to a cut avocado, but the flavor and quality remain the same. To mitigate the discoloration, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto before covering it with a secondary, airtight lid.

To store the leftover pesto in the freezer, spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze until the pesto is solid, then transfer it to a resealable, freezer-safe plastic bag. Remove as many cubes as needed for a pasta sauce, dip, or marinade. Keep the pesto in the freezer for up to one year.