Fish Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, and packed with leafy green flavor, this kale pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasted pine nuts add a warm, nutty depth, while fresh basil keeps things aromatic and lively — and the lemon juice and zest tie it all together with a citrusy lift that cuts right through the richness of the olive oil. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, umami-forward quality you'd expect from a classic pesto, no dairy required. Traditional pesto recipes often rely on parmesan, and many store-bought versions sneak in anchovies or fish-derived ingredients, so making it from scratch like this gives you full control over what goes into the jar. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and the whole process comes together in just a few simple steps. Spoon it over pasta, swirl it into soups, spread it on toast, or use it as a dip — this pesto is endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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