This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
I think the urge to “nest” has finally started to hit me, because not only am I feeling the pressure to organize and clean every inch of my house (which is really the only time I ever think about cleaning things like my baseboards or behind my washing machine), but I’m also feeling the need to make large batches of food, as if I’m stocking up for winter.
I never had the chance to prepare a batch of freezer meals during my first pregnancy, because my son surprised us by arriving three weeks early. This time around I’m practicing making easy and filling meals that can be ready in 10 minutes or less– so that we can function on auto-pilot, even when we are sleep deprived and starving. I’ve found that the key to making fast meals is to have a batch of delicious sauces and dressings ready to go, like this 5-minute pesto sauce.
I threw this sauce together last weekend, and the jar lasted me all week for some easy make-ahead lunches and dinners. It’s so versatile that it can be spread on sandwiches or wraps, used as a pizza sauce, scrambled with eggs, or added to salads and veggie bowls for an extra punch of flavor without any added oil.
Once you’ve got a sauce or two like this one ready, all you need is a few more elements, such as a batch of cooked grains, a frozen pizza crust, and a variety of pre-chopped veggies, to have a healthy and filling meal ready in no time. I’ll be sharing a few of my favorite make-ahead lunches later this week, but for now, I’ll leave you with this tasty pesto sauce. I hope you enjoy it!
—
Oil-Free Vegan Arugula Pesto
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor (I use this one) and process until everything is broken down. I prefer my pesto to have a bit of a chunky texture, but you can use a blender if you would like a smoother result.
Once the pesto is smooth enough, taste it and adjust any seasonings as needed. When you use fresh ingredients, the taste will always vary by batch, so I usually end up adding an extra splash of lemon juice or an extra pinch of salt to make it taste “just right.” And also, I think it should be noted that I love a spicy punch of garlic, so 3 cloves is usually perfect for me, but if you’re not the biggest garlic fan, you might only want to start with 1 or 2 cloves and add more to taste. The nice thing about making a blended sauce like this one is you can always taste as you go and adjust as needed!
Because the ingredients are so fresh, I’d recommend keeping this sauce stored in an airtight container in the fridge and using it within 4 to 5 days for best flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh arugula
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic , to taste
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small food processor and process until everything is broken down. I prefer my pesto to have a bit of a chunky texture, but you can use a blender if you would like a smoother result.
- Once the pesto is smooth enough, taste it and adjust any seasonings as needed. When you use fresh ingredients, the taste will always vary by batch, so I usually end up adding an extra splash of lemon juice or an extra pinch of salt to make it taste "just right." Also, I think it should be noted that I love a spicy punch of garlic, so 3 cloves is usually perfect for me, but if you're not the biggest garlic fan, you might only want to start with 1 or 2 cloves and add more to taste. The nice thing about making a blended sauce like this one is you can always taste as you go and adjust as needed.
- Because these ingredients are all fresh, I'd recommend keeping this sauce stored in an airtight container in the fridge for no longer than a week for best flavor.
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 406, Fat: 38g, Carbohydrates: 12g, Fiber: 5g, Protein: 10g
Substitutions: Pesto is a very forgiving sauce, so feel free to use any other fresh greens you have on hand, such as kale, spinach, or parsley in place of the arugula. Any substitution will change the overall flavor, but as long as you like the taste of each individual ingredient, you should still enjoy the result!
Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite make-ahead meal?
I used fresh carrot tops in place of the arugula and basil. Absolutely fantastic!
This pesto is delicious. I added a little extra garlic and served it with salmon and zucchini noodles for me and regular pasta for the rest of the family. I did use a drizzle of basil olive oil as a finisher. Devine!
This is delicious! I wondered if I would miss the oil and cheesy addition but not at all! It will go perfectly with my lunchtime salads. Can imagine it would be equally tasty mixed in with hot pasta. Thanks – totally bookmarking this recipe!
I love this recipe! I have made it twice and next time I am going to double it. I served it on tilapia for my husband and he really enjoyed it. I eat it as a dip with Lundeen sea salt rice crackers. I have used it in turkey roll-ups. I tried adding 1 teaspoon of olive oil to a serving just to see how it would taste with the traditional olive oil flavor. I personally did not care for it and love the recipe exactly as you have created it! It has a wonderful fresh taste. I have your creamy vegan arugula soup cooking on the stove right now.
Trying to teach my 9 year old to make simple recipes. This was a perfect one for him! Plus, it’s so good, and he loves it! He also likes to improvise 🙂 and added a tsp of coconut oil (the kind from TJ’s that doesn’t taste like coconut). Thanks for all your awesome recipes. We make so many of them!
This might sound pathetic, but can you sub dried basil in? We don’t have any fresh at the grocery store & im wondering what u could do instead. Thanks!
That sounds challenging, but maybe? I’d sub another fresh green for the basil, like spinach, to provide the bulk, then add dried basil to taste, since you’ll need a lot less of the dried version for flavor. Let us know if it works for you!