Low Iodine Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are the curly, bright green shoots that spring up from hardneck garlic bulbs, and they bring a milder, grassy garlic flavor that makes this pesto genuinely exciting. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big — it deepens their richness and adds a subtle warmth that ties the whole sauce together. Nutritional yeast steps in where parmesan would normally go, delivering that savory, umami depth without any dairy, which also keeps this firmly in low-iodine territory since cheese and seafood-based ingredients are off the table. Fresh basil, lemon juice, and a little zest keep everything bright and lively, so the finished pesto tastes anything but restricted. The olive oil gets streamed in slowly while the processor runs, creating a silky, cohesive sauce that clings beautifully to pasta, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. It comes together in one food processor bowl with barely any cleanup, which makes it as practical as it is delicious. Make a batch while garlic scapes are in season and you'll find yourself spooning it onto everything.
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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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