Mushroom Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are the curly, bright green shoots that grow from hardneck garlic bulbs, and they bring a mellow, grassy garlic flavor that makes this pesto genuinely special. Toasted pine nuts add richness and a subtle nuttiness, while fresh basil keeps things vibrant and herbaceous. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, cheesy depth you'd expect from a classic pesto — no dairy required. A hit of lemon juice and zest lifts the whole thing and keeps the color gorgeous. The food processor does most of the work, and streaming in the olive oil slowly is the key to getting that thick, glossy, spreadable consistency. Since every ingredient here is a whole, straightforward plant-based staple, there's zero guesswork about hidden fungi or unwanted add-ins sneaking into your sauce. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, or swirl it into grain bowls — this pesto is endlessly useful and seriously hard to stop eating.
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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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