While pesto alla Genovese is a classic, I have always found it to be a bit boring, or that’s what I thought before I started working in an Italian restaurant. We would make fresh pesto every two days because we would run out, and I loved that stuff. The difference between a traditional Italian pesto and that one? Arugula. That perfect peppery taste was everything I was missing in my sauce. We would also replace the pine nuts with walnuts, which is great because pine nuts are really flavorful, and can sometimes hide the taste of everything else. So this recipe is a veganized version of that arugula and walnut pesto.
Tips & Tricks
–There are 3 tools that you can use to make this recipe. Feel free to use the method that you prefer.
1- Mortar and pestle: This method is the traditional one and gives you a chunkier pesto.
2- Food processor
3- Blender ( my favorite): Gives you a smoother pesto and the only tools I actually have in my kitchen
–Also, pesto will lose some of its color and will separate after a couple of days. It’s normal! Simply stir before using. Also, I added a little bit of lemon juice for flavor and to help with the color, you are welcome.
–Finally, olive oil can be bitter, so make sure to grab a good one, or use a mix of olive oil and a light tasting oil ( like grapeseed oil)
Recipe Card
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 cups packed arugula leaves
- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- zest juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup extra-virign olive oil
- Put all the ingredients except the oil in a blender of a food processor and run until it starts to form a paste
- While the machine running, pour the oil slowly until smooth
- Adjust the seasoning
