Dairy Free Vegan Arugula Pesto
Peppery, bright, and packed with bold flavor, this arugula pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on everything. The toasted pine nuts add a warm, nutty depth, while a squeeze of fresh lemon juice keeps the whole thing lively and fresh. Instead of parmesan, nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, umami-rich quality you'd expect from a classic pesto — no dairy required and no compromise on flavor. It comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, making it one of the easiest homemade sauces you'll ever throw together. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, swirl it into soups, or spoon it over roasted vegetables — it genuinely works everywhere. Keeping a jar of this in the fridge means you're always one step away from turning a simple meal into something that tastes seriously intentional.
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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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