Linguine with Arugula Pesto (Print-Friendly)

Fresh linguine with creamy arugula pesto made from cottage cheese, Parmesan, and peppery greens. Nut-free.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 ounces linguine
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Arugula Pesto

03 - 3 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
04 - 2/3 cup cottage cheese
05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 1 garlic clove
07 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ To Serve

11 - Extra fresh arugula leaves for garnish
12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese for topping
13 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta in a colander.
02 - While the pasta cooks, combine arugula, cottage cheese, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 - Return the drained linguine to the pot. Add the arugula pesto and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
04 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra arugula leaves, additional grated Parmesan, and a fresh twist of black pepper.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its creamy and rich without any cream, thanks to the cottage cheese which also sneaks in extra protein.
  • The peppery bite of arugula wakes up your taste buds in a way basil pesto never quite does.
  • You can make it in the time it takes to boil pasta, no toasting nuts or waiting for anything to cool.
  • Its nut-free, so you can actually bring it to potlucks and picnics without worry.
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving the pasta water, its the only thing that will loosen the pesto without making it oily or watery.
  • Blend the pesto until its completely smooth, any chunks of garlic or cheese will feel gritty against the silky pasta.
  • Serve this immediately, arugula pesto doesnt reheat well and the bright green color fades if it sits too long.
03 -
  • Use the best Parmesan you can afford, it makes up a big part of the flavor and cheap stuff tastes more like salt than cheese.
  • If your arugula is very peppery or mature, blanch it for 10 seconds in the pasta water before blending to mellow it out.
  • Always taste the pesto before tossing it with the pasta, its much easier to adjust seasoning at that stage than after.
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