Pesto pizza is a great way to sneak a serving of greens into your family's meals. Master this easy mint and arugula pesto sauce, and you're halfway there!
Wondering why there's no basil in this pesto recipe? Though fresh basil may be readily available (and cheap!) in the summer months, it can be hard to find when it's not in season. On the other hand, arugula and mint are available year-round in most grocery stores, and both tend to be reliably inexpensive no matter when you buy them. The mint balances the subtle bitterness of this arugula pesto; feel free to use basil or any other sweet-tasting herb you have on hand.
There's a similar reason why this recipe calls for almonds instead of the usual pine nuts. Sure, pignoles provide great texture and nutty-sweet flavor, but are they worth the hefty price? I've found that almonds taste just as good and cost about half as much as pine nuts do.
Need topping ideas? Here are a few of my fave pesto pizzas:
- Fresh tomato and mozzarella
- Caramelized onions, mushrooms, and Alpine cheese
- Prosciutto and pear
- Shredded cooked chicken, vegetables, and mozzarella or Cheddar
Looking for other pesto pizza sauce recipes? Try one of these:
Mint and Arugula Pesto with Almonds
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife
- Citrus juicer
- Food processor
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup raw unsalted almonds
- 1½ cups packed baby arugula
- ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves
- 1 large garlic clove, quartered
- ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until they begin to brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let cool.
- In a food processor, combine the arugula, mint, toasted almonds, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice. Pulse until the mixture is very finely chopped, then turn the processor to high and slowly stream in the oil. Process until the pesto is smooth and bright green in color.
- Store the pesto in an airtight container for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Krisha Savla says
Really interesting Recipe.. I would definately like to try it out..
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