Honey Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are the curly, bright green shoots that spring up from hardneck garlic bulbs, and they bring a milder, grassier version of garlic flavor that makes this pesto genuinely exciting. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big, adding a warm, buttery depth that anchors the whole sauce. Nutritional yeast steps in where parmesan would typically go, delivering that savory, umami richness without any animal products — and without any sweeteners sneaking in the back door. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of added sweeteners, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or swap anything out. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and streaming in the olive oil slowly is what gives the pesto that glossy, cohesive texture you want clinging to pasta or spread across crusty bread. A splash of lemon juice and a little zest keep everything bright and fresh so the garlic scapes don't overwhelm the basil. Toss it with noodles, dollop it onto roasted vegetables, or use it as a dip — this pesto is endlessly versatile and comes together in minutes.
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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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