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Vegan Arugula Pesto is made with fresh arugula and walnuts for a flavorful twist on a classic sauce. Add this pesto to your favorite pasta, pizza, or sandwiches!
I was inspired to make this arugula pesto when I had a bit too much arugula from the farmer’s market.
The peppery flavor of the arugula, along with the richness of the olive oil, makes this pesto perfect for so many dishes!
Use this arugula pesto recipe to make pesto pasta or as a sauce on gluten-free pizza with cashew mozzarella for a real treat.
Or lather it on tofu waffles along with tomato slices for a quick and easy sandwich!
Similar to nut-free vegan pesto, you can swap the walnuts in this recipe with sunflower seeds to make this recipe allergy-friendly!
Ingredients
You will need these simple ingredients to make vegan arugula pesto:
- Arugula
- Walnuts
- Fresh Garlic
- Sea Salt
- Olive Oil
Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.
Equipment
To make arugula walnut pesto, you will need a food processor. A 3-cup food processor works well; you could even make a double batch in this size.
You can also use a mortar and pestle for a more textured pesto, but the food processor allows you to make a large batch quickly.
How to Make Arugula Pesto
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the best arugula pesto:
- Place all the ingredients in a food processor.
- Process and scrape down the sides to incorporate all of the arugula leaves.
- Add more olive oil as needed (see top tip).
- Process until you have a smooth arugula pesto.
Top Tip
I recommend starting with less olive oil and adding more as needed. This ensures you get just the right texture.
For a thicker pesto, you only need ¼ cup of olive oil, but for the thinner version pictured above, I used ½ cup.
Arugula Pesto Variations
Here are a few ways to customize your vegan arugula pesto:
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice really brightens the flavor.
- Swap the walnuts for sunflower seeds, cashews, or pine nuts.
- Reduce the amount of arugula by half and replace it with basil for an arugula basil pesto.
- Add a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese to add a rich, cheesy, and nutty flavor.
Ways to Use Arugula Pesto
Here are some ideas for how to use your homemade arugula walnut pesto:
- Pasta - Use this arugula pesto recipe to make pesto pasta with sundried tomatoes.
- Pizza - Instead of tomato sauce use this pesto on top of quinoa pizza or pita bread pizza.
- Sandwiches - Layer this pesto onto a piece of sourdough with chickpea salad for a simple yet delicious sandwich.
- Crostini - Make a fancy pesto crostini appetizer with roasted red pepper and artichoke.
- Pinwheels - Spread arugula walnut pesto over chickpea tortillas and add some sundried tomato to make an easy pinwheel snack.
Storage
Store arugula pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
Make sure to mix the pesto before using it in case the olive oil has separated from the arugula.
More Vegan Sauces
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Arugula Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups arugula packed
- ⅓ cup walnuts or sunflower seeds, cashews, pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon pink salt or kosher salt, more to taste
- ¼ - ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Wash your arugula and then let it dry completely. Any extra water will result in a thinner pesto sauce.
- Place the arugula, garlic cloves, walnuts, salt, and ¼ cup of olive oil in a food processor.
- Process and scrape down the sides to incorporate all of the arugula leaves.
- Add more olive oil as needed. You can stick with the amount you started with for a thicker sauce or add an additional ¼ cup (as photographed).
- Continue processing until the pesto is your desired consistency. Overall, the processing will take a couple of minutes. Add more salt to taste, if needed.
Rachel says
Absolutely delicious summer recipe! Will be making this all season 🙂
Sarah Pilley says
Glad you liked it Rachel!