Cinnamon Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, garlicky, and packed with leafy greens, this dairy-free pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasted pine nuts bring a warm, buttery depth, while fresh basil and kale create a bold, herbaceous base that feels far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Nutritional yeast steps in for the parmesan, delivering that savory, umami richness without any dairy, and it works beautifully. A hit of fresh lemon juice and zest keeps the whole thing lively and bright — no spice blends, no hidden seasonings, just clean, straightforward ingredients you can trust. Many store-bought pestos sneak in unexpected additions, so blending your own in a food processor gives you complete control over what goes in the jar. The technique is simple: pulse the greens, add the nuts, stream in the olive oil, and you're done in minutes. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or spoon it over roasted vegetables — this one earns a permanent spot in your weekly rotation.
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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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