MSG Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are one of those fleeting farmers' market finds that deserve way more attention, and blending them into pesto is one of the best things you can do with them. Their flavor is milder and grassier than raw garlic cloves, which means the finished sauce is bright and aromatic without being sharp or overwhelming. Fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, and a hit of lemon juice round everything out into something that tastes genuinely vibrant and complex. Nutritional yeast steps in here as the savory, cheesy backbone — and unlike a lot of store-bought condiments or seasoning blends, every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of added glutamates. No packets, no shortcuts, no hidden flavor enhancers to second-guess. What you get instead is real depth built from toasting, layering, and good olive oil. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, so this comes together quickly with minimal cleanup. Spoon it over pasta, swirl it into soups, spread it on toast, or use it as a dipping sauce — it's the kind of versatile, crowd-pleasing condiment that earns permanent rotation in your kitchen.
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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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