Vegan 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 feels more alive than anything you'd find in a jar. The combination of two packed cups of greens gives it a bold, slightly bitter edge that balances beautifully against the richness of good extra-virgin olive oil. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice keeps everything tasting vibrant and light, while a pinch of optional turmeric adds a warm, golden hue if you're feeling fancy. Traditional pesto often leans on parmesan and pine nuts, but this version skips both entirely without sacrificing any of that luscious, herb-forward depth — the olive oil and garlic do all the heavy lifting. Everything comes together in a food processor in just a few quick pulses, so you're not standing over a mortar and pestle for twenty minutes. Toss it with pasta, swirl it into soups, spread it on toast, or use it as a dipping sauce — it's genuinely one of those recipes that makes you wonder why you ever bought the store-bought stuff.

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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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