Hazelnut Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, 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 buttery richness that holds up beautifully alongside the bold kale and fresh basil, while nutritional yeast adds that savory, umami depth you'd normally get from parmesan. The double hit of lemon juice and lemon zest keeps the whole thing tasting vibrant and alive rather than heavy or flat. For anyone navigating tree nut sensitivities, traditional pesto recipes can be a minefield — many call for hazelnuts or mixed nut blends that are hard to substitute without losing the texture. Here, pine nuts do all the heavy lifting, and the result is a thick, spreadable sauce with real body and character. A slow stream of good olive oil ties everything together into something that looks and tastes genuinely restaurant-worthy. Make a batch, stash it in a jar, and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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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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