Turmeric Free Vegan Basil Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, and packed with fresh flavor, this vegan basil pesto comes together in minutes and tastes like something you'd find at a really good Italian restaurant. Toasted pine nuts bring a warm, buttery depth, while nutritional yeast steps in for the savory, cheesy richness you'd normally get from parmesan — no dairy required. A hit of lemon zest and fresh lemon juice lifts the whole thing, giving it a brightness that makes it feel alive rather than heavy. The slow stream of extra-virgin olive oil into the food processor is what creates that luscious, spoonable texture that clings perfectly to pasta, flatbread, or roasted vegetables. Because every ingredient here is straightforward and plant-based, there's no guesswork about what's hiding in the sauce — just clean, recognizable flavors you can feel good about. It's endlessly versatile, easy to scale up, and honestly hard to stop eating straight off the spoon.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1–2 tbsp water, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer immediately to a plate and let cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Combine the toasted pine nuts, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the ingredients are evenly broken down.
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