Linguine Arugula Pesto (Printable)

A vibrant, fresh pasta creation with peppery arugula pesto, enriched with protein-packed cottage cheese. Bright, creamy, and nut-free.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz linguine
02 - Salt, for pasta water

→ Arugula Pesto

03 - 3 cups loosely packed fresh arugula
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 tbsp fresh lemon juice
09 - 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

11 - Extra arugula leaves, for garnish
12 - Additional grated Parmesan, for topping
13 - Freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, make the pesto: In a food processor, combine arugula, cottage cheese, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
03 - Return the drained linguine to the pot. Add the arugula pesto and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
04 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra arugula, more grated Parmesan, and a twist of black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese creates this velvety texture that clings to every strand of pasta without any heavy cream
  • You get all that bright peppery punch from arugula but none of the bitterness because the lemon and dairy balance it perfectly
02 -
  • Reserving pasta water is not optional here it creates that restaurant quality silkiness that makes the sauce cling to every strand
  • The pesto tastes completely different once it coats the hot pasta so do not panic if the raw sauce seems too bright or intense
03 -
  • Room temperature cottage cheese blends much smoother than cold straight from the fridge
  • Grate your own Parmesan instead of buying pre grated for the best melting texture
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