Chestnut Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes bring a mellow, grassy heat to this vibrant pesto that feels like a serious upgrade from the standard jarred stuff. Toasted pine nuts add a buttery richness, while fresh basil keeps things bright and herbaceous — and nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, almost cheesy depth without any dairy. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, making it one of those recipes that looks impressive but barely requires any effort. Because every ingredient here is straightforwardly plant-based and nut-free aside from pine nuts, you can feel confident there are no hidden chestnuts or chestnut-derived additives lurking in the mix — something that can be genuinely tricky to verify with store-bought pestos. A splash of lemon juice and a little zest lift the whole sauce and keep it tasting fresh rather than heavy. Spoon it over pasta, swipe it across a flatbread, or use it as a dip — this pesto is versatile enough to earn a permanent spot in your weekly rotation.
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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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