Arugula and Walnut Pesto Pasta

Last updated on April 13th, 2019 at 10:32 pm

Bring a splash of color to your table with this delicious Arugula and Walnut Pesto Pasta. A refreshing and healthy pesto ready in under 5 minutes!

As the madness continues at the house with all the drilling and hammering and yelling, trying to find a moment of peace is almost impossible. I long for the time when I will have the house back, wake up in the morning to a peaceful home and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. It’s coming soon, I know. Patience is all that’s required, but patience was never one of my strengths. However, thank God for earphones and music. I can tune out all the noise by putting on my headphones and listening to Sia. Ah, peace and serenity!

And on such a day, I was able to tune out everything and make something I like for lunch, a vibrant and colorful pesto which I added to some gemelli pasta. But I can’t talk about this dish without gushing about the gorgeous color of this pesto. The beauty of it is that it keeps this gorgeous green color for days, even after you warm it up in the microwave, you still end up with a bright green color. If you love the flavors of pesto, you will love the nuttiness of this arugula and walnut pesto. Each ingredient on its own is a favorite of mine, the walnuts, the baby arugula which I love to add to salads, the olive oil which I pretty much add to every dish I make, the garlic which I cannot live without and last but not least, Parmesan cheese which I adore. But together they become a harmonious blend of nuttiness and saltiness.

Next time you feel adventurous and want to cook and devour something CRAZY awesome, try this awesome pasta recipe. And hey, if you want to get your kids to eat more greens, can you think of a better way than with this pasta?

Try these recipes with your homemade pesto!

• Pesto Shrimp Asparagus Pasta
• Arugula and Basil Pesto Risotto with Sauteed Mushrooms
• Parmesan Pesto Twists

If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!

Arugula and Walnut Pesto Pasta

Bring a splash of color to your table with this delicious Arugula and Walnut Pesto Pasta. A refreshing and healthy pesto ready in under 5 minutes!

4.67 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: arugula, pesto, walnuts

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 541kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

• 4 cups arugula packed, I used baby arugula
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic peeled
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
• 12 oz dry pasta I used gemelli

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to package instructions then drain.
• Add the first 6 ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. If the pesto is too thick add a bit more pasta water.
• Toss the pasta together with the pesto and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

You can use pecans to replace the walnuts.

 

Any type of pasta will work for this recipe.

 

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

 

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Nutrition

Calories: 541kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 8.3% | Vitamin C: 3% | Calcium: 19.3% | Iron: 8.1%

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