Homemade Arugula Pesto with Beans

Try this simple homemade arugula pesto with beans, it’s easy to make and can be used as a great side or snack salad.

Pesto is one of those forgotten things that you don’t make as often as you should. Maybe that is because when it became a hit pesto went in everything and we got a bit overexposed to this green tasty stuff. But now is the time to revisit it. It is easy to make and can be used for loads of stuff.

I’ve made a more or less classic pesto but instead of only using basil I replaced some of it with some arugula. It is milder but you still get that great Italian flavor bomb that you’re used to.

To not fall into the classic spaghetti and pesto dish I marinated some canned beans with the pesto instead. That is just one of the many things you can make with a great pesto. I bought some good canned beans which is easy to find in most stores these days. You can serve them on the side to pastas, salads, meat or fish. Or you can use the beans as a base for a bigger salad, just keep adding other good stuff.

Another thing I like to do in the summer is warm potato salad with pesto, boil or roast potatoes. Allow them to cool for a while and then combine them with the pesto and some fresh arugula and you’ll have a great salad to go with some grilled meat.

Enough about that, now is the time to make that arugula pesto with beans. The recipe will be enough to serve the pesto beans as a side for four persons, but it is a good idea to make some more while you are at it. It will last up to a week if kept cold and covered with some olive oil.