Linguine with Arugula Pesto (Printable)

Vibrant pasta with peppery arugula pesto, cottage cheese, and Parmesan. Ready in 25 minutes, vegetarian & nut-free.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz 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, adjust to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Extra arugula leaves
12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
13 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While 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 sides as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 - Return drained linguine to the pot. Add arugula pesto and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually until sauce reaches desired consistency.
04 - Serve immediately garnished with extra arugula leaves, additional grated Parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can scroll through dinner inspiration on your phone.
  • The cottage cheese makes it creamy and adds quiet protein without heaviness.
  • Peppery arugula gives it a grown up bite that feels more interesting than basil every single time.
  • No nuts means no worry about allergies or spending extra on fancy ingredients.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving pasta water, it's the only thing that will loosen the pesto without making it oily.
  • Taste the pesto before tossing, raw garlic and lemon can sneak up on you and it's easier to fix before it hits the pasta.
  • Blend the pesto until it's truly smooth, bits of unblended cottage cheese look like curds and throw off the creamy vibe.
03 -
  • Blend the pesto in short pulses at first so the arugula doesn't bruise and turn bitter.
  • If you don't have a food processor, a blender works but you may need to stop and stir more often to get everything smooth.
  • Make a double batch of pesto and freeze half in an ice cube tray, then pop out a cube whenever you need a quick sauce for pasta, chicken, or even toast.
Go Back