Citrus Arugula Pesto (Paleo, Vegan, SCD, GAPS)

This Citrus Arugula Pesto is such a fun twist on a classic recipe. The flavours of the citrus and arugula blend perfectly to give this sauce or dip the most incredible taste. You will love how easy this pesto is to make too! Ready in just a few minutes its the perfect addition to any meal. 

Citrus Arugula Pesto 

Why you will love this Citrus Arugula Pesto Recipe: 

• The flavour! The combination of the tart arugula plus the sweet mandarine orange blend perfectly. 
• It’s so easy to make and just takes a few minutes to put this dip together. 
• It’s so versatile. Use this pesto as a dip, a dressing or a topping for meat or fish dishes. 
• It’s a healthy pesto that’s naturally dairy free, gluten free, paleo, Whole30 and vegan! 

The Ingredients You’ll Need to Make this Pesto: 

• Arugula – arugula gives this pesto such a unique fresh flavour.
• Mandarine orange – to add just the perfect amount of sweetness and citrus to this recipe. You could easily swap this for a navel orange or any other type of orange as well. 
• Pine nuts – the base of any great pesto! 
• Avocado oil – to give this dip the perfect creamy texture. You could easily swap this for olive oil too. 
• Salt – to punch up the flavour that much more. 

How to make this recipe: 

Step one: add all the ingredients to your food processor.

Step two: blend everything well until its smooth and the texture you like. 

Tips and variations for this arugula pesto: 

• Instead of avocado oil you could use olive oil.
• Instead of a mandarine orange you could use a naval orange or any other type of orange that you like.
• Instead of pine nuts you could use raw cashews.
• If you tolerate dairy add a bit of parmesan cheese to give this dip even more flavour! 
• Store this pesto in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 7 days. 
• Feel free to make a double or triple batch if you are serving a crowd or want more leftovers. 

Frequently asked questions: 

How do you make arugula pesto less bitter?

For this pesto I added an orange to give a bit of sweetness and citrus flavour. This helps make the arugula less bitter tasting. 

What can I use this pesto for?

You can use it as a dip or dressing or a topping for meat or seafood dishes. 

Watch Me Make This Citrus Arugula Pesto:

See wasn’t that simple? So simple! And so, so tasty! I really hope you like it. You can get the full recipe below. And make sure you subscribe to my Youtube channel so that you know when I post more recipe videos!

Other sauces and dips you will love: 

• Vegan Buffalo Sauce
• Mango Habanero Salsa
• Dairy Free Caesar Dressing
• Walnut Dressing
• Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip

SINCE YOU MADE IT THIS FAR WE ARE BASICALLY BEST FRIENDS SO BE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, TIKTOK AND FACEBOOK WHERE I SHARE EVEN MORE RECIPES AND HEALTHY LIVING TIPS! AND DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE THIS RECIPE A STAR REVIEW BEFORE YOU GO!

5 from 2 votes

Print

Citrus Arugula Pesto

This Citrus Arugula Pesto is such a fun recipe! It has a unique flavour that goes well with so many dishes.

Course condiment, dips, sauces

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free pesto, healthy pesto, vegan pesto

Prep Time 1 minute

Cook Time 4 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 142 kcal

Ingredients

• 4 cups packed fresh arugula leaves
• 100 g package pine nuts
• 1 large mandarine orange, peeled and pulp removed 1/2 a large navel orange should also work or 2 small mandarine oranges
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 1/2-1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients into your food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth

2. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

1. Store this pesto in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week
2. Instead of avocado oil you could use olive oil

Nutrition Facts

Citrus Arugula Pesto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 142 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Sodium 99mg4%

Potassium 87mg2%

Carbohydrates 2g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 211IU4%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*** Pin This Recipe For Later ***