Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta

This vegan arugula pesto pasta is absolutely delicious. The arugula pesto sauce is super easy to make and quick too. Once you finish making the pesto, just add it to pasta, and that’s it! Typically, people think of “pesto” as a sauce with basil. The word pesto just means “to pound” in Italian and there are variations of pesto sauces. This arugula one happens to be my favorite. I think you’re going to like it as well.

Ingredients for Vegan Arugula Pesto

• 5 oz. package baby arugula
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

What Pasta Works Best with Pesto?

For this recipe, I’ve used pennoni-shaped pasta. The word Pennoni means large penne in Italian. I found this pasta at Target and like the larger penne shape. This pasta brand is very good.

If you prefer whole-wheat pasta, this arugula pesto really holds up. I can’t always say that about whole-wheat pasta. It’s good, but only when coupled with the right sauce, and this one works very well.

There are so many other pasta shapes to choose from that will work with this pesto.

Here are a few others to try:

Short pasta shapes–

• penne
• rigatoni
• fusilli
• farfalle
• orecchiette
• orzo

Long pasta shapes-

• spaghetti
• linguine
• bucatini

Let’s Make Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta!

1. Lightly toast the walnuts in a small pan on top of the stove. Set aside.

2. Place the garlic cloves and cashews in a food processor and pulse a few times until the cashews are crumbly.

3. Add the toasted walnuts, nutritional yeast, half of the arugula, olive oil, juice of the lemon, and salt. Pulse 7 to 8 times to start incorporating everything. You may need to open the food processor and press down the arugula to help get it going. Pulse again if that is the case, then add the remaining arugula. Continue pulsing until the ingredients come together. 

4. Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package.  Just before draining the pasta, reserve 1/2 cup or so of the pasta water, then drain. Put the cooked pasta back into the cooking pot or a large bowl. Add the arugula pesto to the pasta and stir to incorporate thoroughly. If you need a bit more moisture, here is where you can add some of the reserved pasta water to help loosen the pesto up a bit.

5. Serve warm or at room temperature. and enjoy!

Other Ways to Use the Vegan Arugula Pesto

Aside from pasta, there are other ways to enjoy this pesto. Be sure and try it on potato gnocchi! You can also add the pesto to rice, and grilled or roasted vegetables, and spaghetti squash.

Make a batch ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a few days and use it throughout the week. Cover the pesto with a thin layer of oil to keep it from browning. You can freeze the pesto the same way. It’s so easy to make though, I’m not sure why you would.

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