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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Vegan Arugula Pesto

    Published: Mar 31, 2021 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Vegan Arugula Pesto with pasta with text overlay
    Vegan Arugula Pesto with spoon and my hand with text overlay
    Vegan Arugula Pesto with pasta with text overlay
    Vegan Arugula Pesto with text overlay

    Vegan Arugula Pesto is my go-to pasta sauce! It’s also delicious on pizzas and sandwiches. This recipe is super easy to make, and it comes together in a matter of minutes. In addition to arugula, this non-dairy pesto sauce also contains fresh basil, lemon juice, pine nuts, and garlic. This easy recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free.

    Vegan Arugula Pesto with text overlay
    pesto with spoon and my hand

    What is Pesto?

    Traditional pesto is made with basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese. It originated in Genoa, Italy, and the word “pesto” comes from the Italian word pestare, which means “to pound or crush.” Originally, the ingredients were crushed together with a mortar and pestle.

    These days, it’s much easier to make pesto in a food processor than with a mortar and pestle. It whips up easily in just a minute or two.

    pesto with pasta

    Pesto is the Besto

    I didn’t grow up eating adventurously, so I didn’t try pesto until I was in my 20s. In fact, I don’t think I had even heard of it until I was in my 20s. I first tried it at a small Italian place down the street that made fresh pasta and sauces, and after I discovered it, I began eating there often. I was in the early days of my vegetarianism, and finding restaurants that had food I could chose from wasn’t easy, but their menu had tons of vegetarian options.

    pesto with basil, garlic, and olive oil

    After having a few visits where I had ordered my standard ravioli with tomato sauce, I began to branch out and try different types of pastas and sauces. Pesto sounded good, so I why not try it? After just a few bites, I was hooked. Pesto quickly became my sauce of choice for pasta.

    Vegan Arugula Pesto with garlic

    Vegan Arugula Pesto

    While I know that basil is traditional, I like to play with the leafy greens that I use to make pesto. I love to use kale, spinach, and even broccoli. One of my favorite greens for pesto is arugula.

    In this vegan Arugula Pesto recipe, I use nutritional yeast to mimic the cheese that classic pesto recipes call for. I’ve stuck with traditional pine nuts, but I have been known to mix it up and use pistachios or even pumpkin seeds.

    olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, basil, lemon, nooch

    How to Make Vegan Arugula Pesto

    This recipe couldn't be easier!

    • First you place all of the ingredients except the olive oil in your food processor and process until it's chopped and mixed together.
    • Then, with the processor on, you drizzle the olive oil into the processor from the top. Process for another few seconds, until it's all incorporated.
    food processor

    I will admit that although I include measurements here, I often just grab handfuls of greens and add them to the food processor. I then add the nutritional yeast, nuts, and lemon juice to taste, so you don’t really need to be a stickler for amounts when making this.

    Vegan Arugula Pesto with lemon, garlic, and olive oil

    How to Customize Your Vegan Pesto

    You can easily make this recipe your own!

    • If you don't like arugula, you can use spinach or baby kale in this recipe.
    • Instead of pine nuts, you can use cashews or almonds.
    • Pumpkin or sunflower seeds can be substituted if you have a nut allergy.
    pasta

    While I do like to top my pasta with vegan arugula pesto, I also like to mix things up and spread it on pizzas or add it to grilled tofu sandwiches. It’s great as a spread on bread as appetizer or snack, too!

    Vegan Arugula Pesto with garlic, olive oil, lemon, and basil
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    Vegan Arugula Pesto square

    Vegan Arugula Pesto

    Dianne
    This vegan Arugula Pesto is my go-to pasta sauce! It’s also great on pizzas and sandwiches.This recipe makes about a cup of pesto. A serving is ¼ cup.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 162 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups fresh basil tightly packed
    • 2 cups arugula tightly packed
    • ⅓ cup pine nuts
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the basil, arugula, pine nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor until finely chopped and mixed together. With the processor running, add the olive oil and continue processing until thoroughly combined.
    Calories: 162kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!

    Use Your Pesto in These Recipes:

    • Zucchini Noodles
    • Potato, Pesto, and Arugula Pizza
    • Pasta and Pesto
    • Green and White Pizza
    taking a slice of pizza

    Other sauce recipes you might enjoy include:

    • Spinach Pesto
    • Green Goddess Dressing
    • Cashew Cheese Sauce
    • Easy Romesco
    « Vegan Green Curry with Green Beans and Sweet Potatoes
    Vegan Pesto Pasta »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kate

      April 14, 2018 at 5:21 pm

      This looks lovely. I think I'll try it with pistachios. What do you think?

    2. Dianne

      April 16, 2018 at 10:37 am

      Hi Kate. Thank you! I think pistachios would definitely work.

    3. Kate

      April 22, 2018 at 5:00 pm

      I'll give it a go, as soon as I have an entire afternoon free to de-shell pistachios and not eat them all at once 😀

    4. Chrystel

      May 01, 2021 at 8:59 am

      5 stars
      Made 1/2 portion to try....think I will make a double portion next time!! So so good!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!! 🙂

    5. Dianne

      May 02, 2021 at 11:41 am

      I'm so glad you liked it!

    6. Jd

      August 21, 2022 at 8:41 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe. Used pumpkin seeds as the 1 grocery store we had did not carry pine nuts. Very happy with the results.

    7. Dianne

      August 22, 2022 at 1:25 pm

      Yay! I love using pumpkin seeds in pesto, too.

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    Dianne in Kitchen

    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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