Nutmeg Free Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Garlic scapes are the curly, bright green shoots that spring up from hardneck garlic bulbs, and they bring a mellow, grassy garlic flavor that's genuinely unlike anything else in the produce aisle. Blended with fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, and a hit of zest, this pesto is vibrant, punchy, and deeply satisfying. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, cheesy depth you'd expect from a classic pesto — no dairy required, and no warm spices like nutmeg anywhere near the bowl. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big, coaxing out a rich, buttery nuttiness that anchors the whole sauce. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and a splash of water at the end lets you dial in exactly the consistency you want — thick enough to cling to pasta or thin enough to drizzle over roasted vegetables. It's the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on everything, and honestly, you probably should.
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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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