Vegan Arugula Pesto (oil-free)

Hi everyone!

It’s always a good day when pasta is involved and I have a fantastic, fresh, DELICIOUS new recipe for you all. Please say hello to vegan arugula pesto! It’s packed with flavor, it takes 10 minutes to throw together and the pesto is whipped up in the food processor. Simple and yummy! #HealthyGirlKitchen

Josie’s Organics

I used the fresh, pre-washed organic arugula for my vegan arugula pesto from Josie’s Organics, an amazing all organic company that grows their produce in the fertile California Valley.

Their family farming business dates back to the 1920’s, when two young Swiss immigrants, Sebastian and Josie Braga decided to start growing beets, tomatoes, onions, hay and corn.

Today, three generations later, the organic family farming tradition is being kept alive! Josie’s Organics harvests over 25 varieties of USDA certified organic veggies.

Such an inspiring story.

If I see Josie’s Organics in the grocery store, I snatch it up real quick because it’s truly such fresh produce. You can find their produce at stores like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts and many more.

Josie’s Organics doesn’t use any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on their farms. This is so important!

Be sure to look out for Josie’s Organics in your local store! Use their store locator here!

There’s something about pesto that reminds me of warm weather, summer and happy times. The color, the freshness, the bright flavors make this pasta dish so beyond good. I have a lot of different versions of pesto that I like to make but this is a new one! Adding arugula to pesto just seemed right.

I love a recipe where I can sneak in some dark leafy greens, especially if pasta is included. Who’s with me?!

Pesto Questions:

Do I need basil in addition to the arugula?

In my opinion, yes! The balance of the basil and arugula gives a spiciness and sweetness, just the arugula alone would be too bitter.

What kind of pasta do you suggest to go with this?

Literally any pasta would be great. I used brown rice gluten-free pasta but I would suggest chickpea pasta, whole wheat, quinoa pasta…anything! Short or long noodles both work well.

Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?

Yes but use the pulse setting, do not blend it completely smooth. It’s supposed to be well combined but pesto is supposed to have texture left.

Are the leftovers any good?

Definitely! If you use gluten-free pasta, make sure to reheat the leftovers (gluten-free pasta gets hard in the fridge), but if you use white or whole wheat pasta you don’t even need to reheat it! It’s great cold the next day. Should last up to 3-4 days in the fridge.

What kind of cheese do you use on here?

I sprinkle on sunflower parmesan cheese. It’s the PERFECT dairy-free plant-based alternative to cow’s milk parmesan. If you haven’t tried it yet I suggest you do, it’s so yum. The recipe also has nutritional yeast in it which gives it a nice cheesy element.

Want to know the best part?

This vegan sunflower parmesan cheese recipe only has 4 ingredients and takes 5 minutes to make. Could it get any easier?! I like to make this and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. It lasts for months.

Rate + Comment

If you make this recipe and love it, please rate and comment down below at the bottom of your page with your honest thoughts. Your feedback means a lot to me here at HealthyGirl Kitchen. If you weren’t a fan of the recipe or substituted an ingredient/s, please let me know!

In addition, your friends and family will be SO impressed with you if you cook this for them and don’t forget to look out for Josie’s produce in the store. It’s organic, fresh and always the best.

Share the Love on Social Media

Pin this vegan arugula pesto recipe on Pinterest, share the link on Facebook for friends and family to see, or post a picture of your creation on Instagram. Also, be sure to follow me on my new tiktok account, I post a lot of great content on there.

Instagram: @HealthyGirlKitchen

TikTok: @HealthyGirlKitchen

Facebook: @HealthyGirlKitchen

What are you waiting for peeps?! Get cooking!

This blog post was sponsored by Josie’s Organics, I am so honored to have a long-term partnership with such an amazing organic produce company. 

In good health,

Danielle