Arugula Pesto Pasta

Get ready to elevate your meals with the one and only rockstar of greens! Known by different names depending on the region, this widely loved leafy vegetable is called rucola in Italy, and also goes by the names salad rocket, garden rocket, and roquette.

Reasons to love arugula:

• Rich in Nitrates (not to be confused with nitrites) for Cardiovascular Health: Arugula is packed with natural nitrates, which improve blood flow by relaxing blood vessels. This can help reduce blood pressure and enhance exercise performance by boosting oxygen efficiency.

• High in Antioxidants: Arugula contains phytochemicals like glucosinolates and flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. These compounds help fight oxidative stress and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer.

• Excellent Source of Vitamin K: A 100-gram serving of arugula provides more than 90% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin K, essential for blood clotting and bone health. Regular consumption can also help prevent osteoporosis.

Now lets get back to the recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 box of pasta of your choice (penne, bow tie, angel hair, etc.)

  Arugula pesto

  • 4 cups (80 grams) baby arugula, washed

  • ⅓ cup (40 grams) sun dried tomatoes, drained

  • ¼ cup (30 grams) cashews

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • ⅓ cup (30-40 grams) grated parmesan cheese (or use a few whole pieces, same weight)

  • ¼ tsp fine salt

  • ⅛ tsp black pepper

  • ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

  • ¼ cup (60 ml) pasta cooking water

Directions

Pasta

• Cook pasta in plenty of boiling salty water until al dente.

• When the pasta is nearly done, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set aside.

• Finally, drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

  
  

Arugula pesto sauce

• While the pasta is cooking, place arugula, parmesan, garlic, cashews, tomatoes, salt and pepper in the food processor. Give a quick blitz just for a few seconds, until the mixture resembles a coarse pesto-like consistency.

• Scrape down size as needed, add extra virgin olive oil and pasta cooking water (use ¼ cup of the water you reserved) to the mixture and give another quick whizz. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

• Add the arugula pesto sauce to the drained pasta and toss well to combine. Stir in some pasta water as much as needed until you get a moist and juicy consistency.

• Divide into 4 bowl and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if you wish. Enjoy.
  

Arugula pairs well in many other dishes especially salads! You can create an easy arugula salad by adding any of the following:

• pears

• apples

• walnuts

• pecans

• goat cheese

• feta cheese

• parmesan cheese

• grilled chicken

• prosciutto

• olive oil

• honey

• beets

• raisins

• pine nuts

• grapes

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