Pork 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. They bring a mellow, grassy garlic flavor that pairs beautifully with fresh basil, bright lemon, and toasted pine nuts — the result is deeply savory and a little nutty without being heavy. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that rich, cheesy depth you'd expect from a classic pesto, keeping everything completely plant-based and free from any animal products. Every single ingredient here is straightforward and clean, so there's nothing to second-guess when it comes to what's actually in your food. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that makes a big difference, coaxing out their natural richness before they hit the food processor. The whole thing comes together in minutes and lands somewhere between a sauce, a spread, and a dip — equally at home tossed with pasta, smeared on crusty bread, or dolloped over roasted vegetables.
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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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