Pork Free Vegan Arugula Pesto
Peppery arugula brings a bold, slightly bitter edge to this vibrant pesto that sets it apart from anything you'd find in a jar at the grocery store. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big — it deepens their buttery flavor and adds a subtle nuttiness that ties the whole sauce together. Nutritional yeast steps in for the traditional parmesan, delivering that savory, umami-rich depth without any dairy, making this completely plant-based from start to finish. A hit of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens everything up and keeps the color a gorgeous, vivid green. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, so you're looking at a sauce that comes together in minutes with almost no cleanup. Toss it with pasta, swirl it into soup, spread it on flatbread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables — it's endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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