Breastfeeding Friendly Vegan Arugula Pesto
Bright, peppery arugula takes center stage in this dairy-free pesto that comes together in minutes with just a food processor and a handful of wholesome ingredients. Nutritional yeast steps in for traditional parmesan, delivering that savory, umami-rich depth without any dairy — which matters when you're being mindful about what goes into your body and your baby's. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big, coaxing out a warm, buttery flavor that makes the whole sauce taste more complex and satisfying. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens everything up and keeps the color vivid. Extra-virgin olive oil is the backbone here, giving the pesto a silky, spoonable consistency that clings beautifully to pasta, swirls into soups, or spreads across a piece of crusty bread. It's the kind of versatile, nourishing sauce you'll want to keep in a jar in the fridge all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups packed fresh arugula
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool.
- 2
Combine the arugula, toasted pine nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
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