Arugula Pesto Pasta

Equal parts fresh, fabulous, and vibrantly bright, this Arugula Pasta is utterly crave-worthy! Featuring silky noodles coated with zesty emerald-green arugula pesto sauce and tossed with peppery baby arugula, juicy cherry tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella pearls—every twirl of pasta delivers a flavor-packed punch of deliciousness. Whether you're looking for a quick weeknight family dinner or trying to impress guests, this pasta with arugula pesto is as stunning as it is satisfying!

📝 Ingredients

• 9-10 ounces Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• 12 ounces Spaghetti Pasta (- (substitute: favorite dry pasta))
• 8 oz Mozzarella Pearls (- (substitute: burrata, torn into bite sized pieces)
• 1/3 Cup Basil (– roughly chopped)
• as needed Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
• 2-4 Clove Garlic (- peeled)
• 1/3 Cup Pine Nuts (- plus more for garnish)
• 2 1/2 Cups Arugula (- packed, plus more for garnish)
• 2/3 Cup Pecorino Romano (– grated, plus more for garnish)
• 1 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Make the Arugula Pesto Sauce: To the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic and pine nuts. Cover the bowl and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the baby arugula, grated cheese, and lemon juice. Then, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the food processor bowl and pulse again until the ingredients are finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil using the feeding tube in a steady stream. Then continue to process until the arugula pesto is a little chunky, but mostly smooth. Taste and adjust the flavors to suit your tastebuds. Then set the pasta sauce aside.
2. 2Cook the Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Once boiling, add enough salt so that the water is as salty as the ocean.Then, add the dry pasta noodles and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente according to package directions. Once al dente, drain the pasta - reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Then, transfer to a large bowl or back to the large pot.
3. 3Toss Pasta with Arugula Pesto: Add the arugula pesto to bowl with pasta along with 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Grab tongs and toss the pasta to coat it in the pesto sauce, adding more water as necessary to create a silky sauce.
4. 4Add Optional Mix-Ins: Add the fresh basil to the arugula. pesto pasta along a couple handfuls of fresh baby arugula, half of the mozzarella, and half the tomatoes. Gently toss the pasta again to combine all the ingredients.
5. 5Serve Arugula Pasta: Divide the arugula pasta between serving bowls and top with remaining mozzarella and tomatoes, if using. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and grated cheese, if using. Serve pasta and enjoy!