Nitrate & Nitrite 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's punch to anything they touch. Blended with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast, this pesto is deeply savory and vibrant — the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big, adding a warm, nutty depth that rounds out the sharp, herby notes from the scapes. Because every ingredient here is a whole, unprocessed plant food, you never have to second-guess what's in it — no cured meats, no packaged shortcuts, nothing that sneaks in unwanted additives. The nutritional yeast does the heavy lifting in place of parmesan, giving you that umami, cheesy quality without any dairy. Stream in the olive oil slowly and you get a glossy, thick paste that clings beautifully to pasta, grilled vegetables, or crusty bread. It comes together in one food processor and a single skillet, making it as practical as it is delicious.
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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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