Dairy Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are one of those fleeting farmers market finds that deserve way more attention, and this pesto is exactly the kind of recipe that shows them off. Their mild, garlicky bite blends beautifully with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts, creating a sauce that's bright, herby, and deeply savory all at once. Nutritional yeast steps in where parmesan would normally go, delivering that umami depth and a slightly nutty richness without any dairy involved — and it works remarkably well. A hit of fresh lemon juice and zest keeps everything lively and stops the basil from tasting flat. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few minutes, making it one of those effortless recipes that tastes like you spent far more time on it. Spoon it over pasta, swirl it into grain bowls, spread it on crusty bread, or use it as a dipping sauce — it's endlessly versatile. Store-bought pesto almost always contains cheese, so having a homemade version you can trust is genuinely useful to keep in the fridge.
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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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