Mint and Arugula Pesto with Almonds
This zippy, bright-green mint and arugula pesto sauce is a great base for all sorts of pizza toppings, from simple mozzarella and fresh tomatoes to cured meats, chicken, and thinly sliced potatoes.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: almonds, arugula, mint, pesto, pesto pizza
Makes: 2 cups
Cost: $5
Cutting board and knife
Citrus juicer
Food processor
- 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
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.