Gluten Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, and packed with bold 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 really wakes up the whole bowl. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, cheesy richness without any dairy, so the sauce feels indulgent even though every ingredient is completely plant-based. Since pesto is naturally built around whole, fresh ingredients rather than flour or grains, this version is inherently free of gluten — no swaps or workarounds needed. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and a slow drizzle of good olive oil at the end brings everything into a thick, glossy, spoonable sauce. Toss it with your favorite gluten-free pasta, spread it on a rice cracker, swirl it into soup, or use it as a dip — it's 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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