High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes have a fleeting season, and this pesto is one of the best reasons to grab them while you can. They bring a milder, grassier bite than raw garlic cloves, and blended with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, and a bright hit of lemon, the result is deeply savory and incredibly aromatic. Nutritional yeast steps in where parmesan usually lives, adding that umami depth without any dairy — and it works beautifully. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, which means you're completely in control of what goes into the jar, no label-reading required. So many store-bought pestos and condiments sneak in sweeteners or syrups that have no business being there, but this one is built entirely from real, recognizable foods. A slow stream of good olive oil pulls it all together into a glossy, spoonable sauce that's just as happy tossed with pasta as it is spread on crusty bread or dolloped over roasted vegetables.
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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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