Pescatarian Arugula & Herb Pesto

Total time10 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time0 min

4.8

(29)

Bright, peppery arugula teams up with fragrant basil to create a pesto that's bolder and more interesting than anything you'd find in a jar at the grocery store. The combination of two packed cups of greens gives this sauce a vivid color and a layered flavor — grassy and slightly bitter from the arugula, sweet and floral from the basil. A generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil brings everything together into a silky, spoonable consistency that clings beautifully to pasta, grilled fish, or crusty bread. Fresh lemon juice lifts the whole thing, cutting through the richness and keeping every bite lively. The optional pinch of ground turmeric adds a subtle warmth and a gorgeous golden undertone without overpowering the herbs. Because this pesto is built entirely from plants and oil, it fits naturally into a pescatarian kitchen and works as a sauce, a spread, or a marinade for your next seafood dinner. A food processor and a handful of fresh ingredients are all you need to pull it off.

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 cups fresh arugula, packed
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp ground turmeric (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the arugula, basil, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the greens are coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
2
With the processor running, pour the olive oil in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube and process until the pesto is mostly smooth with a slightly textured consistency, about 20–30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as needed.

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