Linguine with Arugula Pesto

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz linguine

02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Arugula Pesto

03 - 3 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed

04 - 2/3 cup cottage cheese

05 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

06 - 1 garlic clove

07 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ To Serve

11 - Extra arugula leaves for garnish

12 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese for topping

13 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

02 - While the pasta cooks, combine arugula, cottage cheese, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.

03 - Return the drained linguine to the pot. Add the arugula pesto and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water gradually until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

04 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra arugula, additional grated Parmesan, and a twist of black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

The cottage cheese makes this pesto incredibly creamy and adds a quiet protein boost without any nuts to buy or toast.
It comes together faster than ordering takeout, and the bright lemon and peppery arugula wake up your taste buds in the best way.

02 -

Do not skip reserving the pasta water, I forgot once and had to thin the pesto with plain water, which diluted all the flavor.
Blend the pesto until it is really smooth, any big chunks of garlic or arugula stems make the texture feel unfinished.

03 -