Cashew Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, and packed with leafy greens, this plant-based pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasted pine nuts bring a buttery richness that carries the whole recipe, while nutritional yeast adds that savory, almost cheesy depth without any dairy. The double hit of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest keeps things lively and stops the kale from tasting too earthy or heavy. Many store-bought and restaurant pestos rely on cashews as a creamy base, so making your own from scratch is the most reliable way to keep things safe and delicious. The food processor does most of the work here — a few pulses and a slow drizzle of good olive oil, and you have a thick, vibrant sauce that holds its shape beautifully on a spoon. It comes together quickly and stores well in a jar, making it just as useful on a weeknight as it is for a dinner party spread.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 3 cups packed curly or lacinato kale leaves, stems removed and roughly torn
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 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 to loosen (optional)
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 and let cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Add the kale, basil, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the greens are finely chopped and the mixture looks uniformly crumbly.
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