Low Sugar Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are the curly, bright green shoots that grow from hardneck garlic bulbs, and they bring a milder, grassier version of garlic's punch that makes this pesto genuinely exciting. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big — it deepens their flavor and adds a subtle richness that ties the whole sauce together. Nutritional yeast steps in where parmesan would normally go, delivering that savory, umami depth without any dairy, so this is a pesto that works beautifully for plant-based eaters without any compromise in flavor. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means there's no hidden sweetener sneaking in the way there can be with jarred sauces or store-bought pestos. The lemon juice and zest keep things bright and fresh, balancing the richness of the olive oil and nuts in a way that makes you want to put this on everything. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, swirl it into soup, or use it as a dip — it's one of those versatile sauces that earns permanent rotation in your kitchen.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 6 oz garlic scapes (about 10–12 scapes), roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 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 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool.
- 2
Add the garlic scapes, basil, toasted pine nuts, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and uniform.
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