Linguine with Arugula Pesto (Printable Version)

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

# 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, plus more to taste
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

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, 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 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, additional grated Parmesan, and a twist of freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The cottage cheese makes it creamy and protein rich without any nuts, so everyone at the table can enjoy it.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the only thing that will loosen the pesto without making it oily or bland.
  • Taste the pesto before tossing it with the pasta because once it's mixed in, it's too late to fix the seasoning.
  • Use the food processor instead of a blender unless you want to scrape pesto out of crevices for ten minutes.
03 -
  • Blend the pesto in short pulses instead of running the processor continuously, it keeps the arugula from turning bitter and the texture stays vibrant.
  • Always taste a strand of pasta before draining because package times are just suggestions, and your stove and pot are different from everyone else's.
  • If the pesto tastes too sharp, stir in an extra spoonful of cottage cheese to mellow it out without losing the creaminess.
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