Simple Arugula Pesto

It’s no secret to my friends and family that penne pasta with pesto (or really anything that involves pesto) is one of my favorite dishes. I always get so excited to grow my own basil over the summer months on my tiny balcony. Unfortunately, my basil plants did not fare well last summer (thanks to those few scorching heat waves in July and August), so I started experimenting with other ways to make pesto.

I’ve always appreciated the flavor profile of fresh arugula - it has a peppery, slightly spicy, distinctive taste. Arugula has become my go-to salad green of choice, but more recently I’ve been loving making pesto with it. The peppery quality of arugula paired with the saltiness of the cheese, the bright, bold flavors of good quality extra virgin olive oil, the acidity of the lemon - among other ingredients - makes for a delicious, well-balanced pesto.

Simple Arugula Pesto

• 3 cups fresh arugula leaves, packed

• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

• 2 tablespoons walnuts

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1-1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)

• Salt to taste

How to make:

Put the garlic, walnuts, and arugula into a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Note: If you have a smaller food processor like I do, slowly add the arugula in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Add the cheese, olive oil, and lemon juice. Continue to pulse until smooth. Add salt to taste. Serve with pasta, on pizza, or drizzled over chicken and vegetables.

Recipe variations:

The beautiful thing about pesto is that you can adjust/swap out/add ingredients as you wish! Here are some of my favorite variations:

• If you are feeling fancy and want to splurge a bit, swap out the walnuts for pine nuts. Alternatively, you can also use cashews, almonds, or make a nut-free version with sunflower seeds.

• Add sundried tomatoes for an extra kick of flavor.