Walnut Free Vegan Arugula Pesto
Peppery arugula brings a bold, slightly bitter bite that makes this pesto feel more alive than the classic version — it's vibrant, garlicky, and deeply savory in a way that's hard to put down. Pine nuts stand in as the nut of choice here, toasting up golden and fragrant in just a couple of minutes before lending a buttery richness to the sauce. Nutritional yeast does the heavy lifting in place of parmesan, adding that umami depth you'd expect from a great pesto without any dairy involved. A splash of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens everything and keeps the green color looking gorgeous. The whole thing comes together in a food processor with just a slow pour of good olive oil — no special skills required. Toss it with pasta, spread it on flatbread, swirl it into soup, or spoon it straight onto roasted vegetables. It stores beautifully in a jar, so making a batch ahead is absolutely worth it.
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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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