Italian Easy

Parsley, Arugula, and Ricotta Pesto

Name: Parsley, Arugula, and Ricotta Pesto
Prep time: PT10MINUTES
Total time: PT10MINUTES
Yield: 6 cups
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup fresh parsley leaves; 1 cup baby arugula; 1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted); 3 cloves garlic cloves (toasted and minced); 7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1/3 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese; 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (grated)

A creamy, peppery alternative to traditional basil pesto

italianvegetarianquickno-cooksaucegluten-free

— (0 ratings)

⏱️ 10 minutes Total Time

🍽️ 6 cups Makes

200 Calories

3g Protein

2g Carbs

20g Fat

Why This Recipe Works

Swapping traditional basil for peppery arugula and creamy ricotta creates a softer, more balanced pesto. The toasted garlic and pine nuts provide a deep, savory backbone that anchors the fresh herbs.

Instructions

Pulse the parsley, arugula, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses — scrape down the sides of the bowl once to ensure an even texture.

💡 Toasting the garlic cloves with their skins on in a dry pan beforehand mellows their bite.

With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process until the mixture becomes a smooth, emulsified paste.

Transfer the herb mixture to a small bowl and stir in the ricotta and Parmesan by hand. Mixing the cheese in manually preserves the creamy texture of the ricotta and prevents the pesto from becoming gummy.

💡 Avoid nonfat ricotta, as it will make the pesto watery.