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Home » Recipes » Sauces and Spreads

By Kaleigh McMordie - March 21, 2022

Vegan Avocado Arugula Pesto

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
arugula avocado pesto in a white bowl surrounded by the ingredients to make it with text overlay.

Flavorful, creamy avocado arugula pesto with walnuts and garlic is completely plant-based and loaded with healthy fats. It is delicious as a spread, sauce, or dip! (vegan, gluten-free)

overhead view of vegan arugula avocado pesto in a white bowl surrounded by sliced avocado, arugula, walnuts, and garlic.

I don’t think it's a secret around here that I don't follow a plant-based (aka vegan) diet. But that's the great thing about not following any diet labels or rules. You can eat anything, anytime you feel like it, vegan or not. One such example of a delicious plant based recipe without having to modify a non-vegan recipe is this avocado arugula pesto! It's perfect for using up a bunch of arugula, an avocado that might be on the verge of turning mushy, or a handful of basil. And it just happens to be plant-based!

Why You'll Love This Pesto Recipe

This pesto recipe is incredibly easy to make with just 6 simple ingredients and a food processor. It's super creamy thanks to avocado, and big on flavor from garlic, fresh basil and peppery arugula. And with walnuts and avocado, it is full of heart healthy fats. It's the perfect recipe to jazz up any meal!

overhead view of ingredients needed to make vegan arugula pesto.

The Ingredients

  • Avocado - Use a small avocado that's not too firm. It should just give slightly when squeezed.
  • Fresh basil
  • Baby arugula
  • Lemon juice
  • Fresh garlic
  • Walnuts
  • Salt and Pepper
overhead view of vegan arugula avocado pesto pasta in a food processor.

How To Make It

It couldn't be simpler to make. Just add everything to a food processor and blend until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides as needed.

Tip: Add a little water or olive oil one tablespoon at a time to achieve a smooth, creamy consistency.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • If you prefer to use pine nuts in place of walnuts, go for it! I like walnuts because they are more readily available. You could also use blanched almonds.
  • If you're allergic to nuts you can leave them out completely.
  • If you need to use up other tender greens, such as spinach or parsley, feel free to add those, too! You may need to increase the lemon juice and/or water in order to get the right consistency.

Can It Be Made In Advance?

Because of the avocado, this pesto is best served right away or within a couple of hours. However, it can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavor and color won't be quite as bright, though.

two plates of vegan arugula avocado pesto pasta with black forks in them surrounded by a white napkin, walnuts, arugula and lemon.

Delicious Ways to Use Avocado Arugula Pesto

  • Tossed in your favorite cooked pasta
  • As a dip for veggies, crackers or pitas
  • As a spread for sandwiches and wraps
  • Spooned on top of cooked fish, chicken, or shrimp

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

Print

Vegan Avocado Arugula Pesto

vegan arugula avocado pesto pasta in a white bowl surrounded by sliced avocado, garlic, arugula and walnuts.
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Flavorful, creamy avocado arugula pesto with walnuts and garlic is completely plant-based and loaded with healthy fats. It is delicious as a spread, sauce, or dip! (vegan, gluten-free)

  • Author: Kaleigh
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: about 1 cup 1x
  • Category: sauce
  • Method: no cook
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 small ripe avocado
  • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 tbsp walnuts
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
  • 1 cup baby arugula, loosely packed
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • water or olive oil, as needed (1-3 tbsp)

Instructions

  1. Add avocado, lemon juice, garlic, walnuts, basil, arugula, salt and pepper to a food processor.
  2. Blend until smooth. Add water or olive oil as needed, one tablespoon at a time to reach your desired consistency.
  3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Because this pesto contains avocado, it is best served right away. It can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days in an airtight container, but the flavor and color will not be as vibrant.

Keywords: vegan pesto, avocado arugula pesto, arugula pesto, avocado pesto

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @livelytable on Instagram and hashtag it #livelytable

This post was originally published May 2018 and has been updated.

« Spring Vegetable Instant Pot Brown Rice Risotto
Easy Roasted Chicken, Mango and Avocado Spring Salad »

About Kaleigh McMordie

Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian in Abilene, Texas, as well as a member of the Baby Led Weaning Dietitians Network. Kaleigh can be found at kaleighmcmordie.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sherri says

    February 20, 2021 at 10:09 am

    Amazing. This is perfect for my arugula hating husband. He thinks arugula is to peppery. Well guess what, I did not add pepper for this reason and he said it needed pepper. Hahaha. It was absolutely delicious. I do have one question, do you think I could freeze it. I get lots of arugula through my CSA and would love to use a lot of it this way.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      February 20, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      I'm so glad y'all enjoyed the recipe! I think you could freeze the pesto, however, it won't be as green when it emerges from the freezer since the avocado will brown. But if you can get past the color, it should freezer just fine!

      Reply
  2. Mercedes says

    December 01, 2019 at 2:11 pm

    What a lovely, delicious dish. I substituted cilantro for the basil...a saver. Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kaleigh says

      December 02, 2019 at 10:24 am

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

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