Barley Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are the curly, tender shoots that spring up 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 buttery richness and gives the whole sauce a warm, nutty backbone. Nutritional yeast steps in for parmesan, adding that savory, umami depth without any dairy, so the result is fully plant-based without sacrificing any of the complexity you'd expect from a classic pesto. Fresh basil, bright lemon juice, and a hit of zest keep everything lively and green-tasting, while good extra-virgin olive oil pulls it all into a silky, spreadable paste. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from barley and grain-based fillers — no hidden additives, no label-scanning required. Toss it with pasta, swipe it onto flatbread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables; this pesto is versatile enough to become a weekly staple once you've made it once.
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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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