This is a totally versatile and non-traditional take on pesto. In this version arugula and walnuts replace traditional basil and pine nuts, while lime and jalapeño add a south-western flair.
I really like cooking with pestos because they add so much flavor! If you ever think paleo food is boring, get into pesto. This one only has 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/3 cup of walnuts so its quite low in calories compared to traditional pestos that can contain a lot of olive oil. Instead of lots of oil, I use lime juice not only to reduce the calories so you can slather it on for flavor, but to add that bright tartness I love about cooking with citrus fruits.
To make the pesto, in a food processor add arugula, jalapeño, garlic, and walnuts.
Then, pulse about 10 times or until everything is roughly chopped.
Next add the lime juice…
…olive oil…
… and lastly add the lime zest, salt, and pepper.
Pulse again about 5 times just until combined (as shown below).
Serve atop seafood, eggs, steak, spaghetti squash, or roasted vegetables.
Serving suggestions. To serve the pesto as pictured above, roast salmon at 425 F for 12-15 min, top with pesto, and serve alongside Ginger-Garlic Bok Choy. I really like using this pesto in a variety of ways. Pasta: toss it with some Basic Spaghetti Squash, zucchini noodles, or kelp noodles. Vegetables: bake some roasted vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, sweet potato, or eggplant then toss them with the pesto before serving. Seafood: it’s wonderful on seafood like shrimp, salmon, or swordfish. Meat: it’s also bold and bright enough to stand up to a grilled steak. It’s excellent atop chicken or pork tenderloin. Breakfast: don’t forget about breakfast, it’s delicious stirred into scrambled eggs, omelets, or frittatas, hashes, or on top of hard boiled eggs. Those were just off the top of my head, so I’m sure you can come up with endless other ideas of what to eat with this pesto!
The great thing about cooking with chile peppers, is you can choose how spicy (or not spicy) you want it. If you are wanting a totally mild pesto, completely remove the ribs and seeds with a spoon. Adding the jalapeño then won’t add heat, just flavor. If you want it hot, leave the ribs and seeds all in. I enjoy a little heat, so I went half on the ribs and seeds and it was still quite hot, but not so much that I couldn’t enjoy it.
- 2 ounces arugula
- 1 jalapeño, ½ the seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup whole/halved walnuts
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 2 limes
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- In a food processor add arugula, jalapeño, garlic, and walnuts. Pulse about 10 times or until roughly chopped.
- Add lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Pulse again about 5 times just until combined.
- Serve atop seafood, eggs, steak, spaghetti squash, or roasted vegetables.
What’s your favorite way to eat pesto?
This pesto is a crowd pleaser. The first time I made it, I put it over spaghetti squash, and that is still our favorite way to enjoy it. I’ve taken it as a crudite appetizer to a family gathering and everyone asked for the recipe.
Well this answers my question about how you served the spaghetti squash 🙂 Glad to hear it was a big hit. Love the idea of using it as a crudite appetizer!