Today I want to delight you with an easy, quick, and really tasty recipe! A nice plate of pasta with arugula pesto and cherry tomatoes is just what you need to make a good impression at the table with very little time!
The arugula pesto was a real discovery! I had never tried it, and I must say that it won over not only me but my entire beloved family!
It is prepared in 5 minutes and is really tasty. We can use it to dress main courses, like in this recipe, or to accompany meat or fish.
To prepare the pesto, you will obviously need arugula, the undisputed protagonist, some nuts (I used almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, but just one of these will do). Olive oil, basil, salt, and Parmesan. Garlic is not essential if you don’t like it, but it certainly gives the pesto a boost!
These are the ingredients that are placed in the food processor and chopped until a fragrant and delicious arugula cream is obtained.
The arugula pesto pasta is excellent both hot and cold and is a perfect main dish to bring in a lunchbox if you are forced to eat out.
Suitable for vegetarians and, without Parmesan, it becomes a perfect dish also for vegans.
To add a color contrast, I enriched my dish with cherry tomatoes, but if you prefer a “solid color” you can omit the cherry tomatoes!
Often when I propose a recipe with arugula, there’s always someone ready to say “but arugula has a too bitter taste”!
Imagine then what you might think of this main course! “I won’t try it, it will be so bitter as to be inedible”!!! And yet no!
To my great surprise, because I too was skeptical about the final result, this main course, creamy and fragrant, will surprise you! Far from bitter, word of Gabriella!
Come on, come into the kitchen with me, and let’s prepare it together!
Please, read until the end, you will find useful tips for executing this recipe and a little gift for you ❤️🩷
Do you like creamy first courses seasoned with pesto? Then try these really delicious variants 😋
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2.8 oz arugula
- 3.5 oz olive oil
- 0.5 oz roasted salted pistachios
- 0.5 oz almonds
- 0.5 oz walnuts
- to taste salt
- 2 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
- A few drops lemon juice (to keep the arugula pesto bright green)
- garlic (a small piece, but only if you like it)
- 11.3 oz pasta
- 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 oz pistachio crumbs (optional)
- A few leaves basil
Tools
- Saucepan
- Colander
- Bowl
- Ladle
- Cutting board
- Chopper
Preparation
To make the arugula pesto, it would be better, just like with basil pesto, to use a mortar. I don’t have one, so I simply used a hand blender chopper.
First, take the arugula, wash it thoroughly, and then dry it from excess water on a cloth, without squeezing it as it is very delicate.
Put the nuts in the mixer and chop everything for a few seconds. As for the almonds, you can use either peeled or with the skin for a more intense flavor.
Add all the arugula to the chopper, pour in half the oil, and blend until creamy (it only takes a few seconds).
Add a hint of garlic (only if you like it), the remaining olive oil, a pinch of salt, a couple of generous tablespoons of grated Parmesan, and 3-4 drops of lemon to preserve the bright color of the arugula.
Turn on the chopper again and blend until a homogeneous cream is obtained. The arugula pesto is ready!
Put the water in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, salt it, and throw in the pasta. You can choose the shape you like best.
While the pasta cooks, wash the cherry tomatoes well, cut them into 4 parts, and place them in a bowl. Season with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and oregano if you like, mix, and set aside.
Drain the pasta al dente in a baking dish, add the pesto, cherry tomatoes, a handful of grated Parmesan, and torn basil, mix and plate it.
Finish with a handful of pistachio crumbs (only if you like). Bring to the table and enjoy your pasta with arugula pesto and cherry tomatoes! You’ll see how delicious it is!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know if you try it and come back soon to visit me!
Article protected by copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All Rights Reserved
Can I use just one type of nut to make the arugula pesto?
Certainly! I just had three packages almost finished of walnuts, almonds, and pistachios and created this mix! But if you prefer, you can use only almonds, only walnuts, or only pistachios. The weight remains the same, 1.6 ounces.
Can I avoid using raw cherry tomatoes since I can’t digest them?
Of course, you can! You can leave them out entirely or, if you prefer, cook them in a pan for about ten minutes with olive oil and enjoy this main course hot or warm.
Can I prepare this pasta the day before and store it in the fridge?
Yes, of course! I often do it too, but I advise you to not add the cherry tomatoes the day before because they wilt and change flavor. Prepare the pasta and pesto, mix everything, and put it in an airtight container. The next day, before serving, you can enrich it with the cherry tomatoes.
