Honey Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
This vibrant green sauce is built on a base of kale and fresh basil, blended with toasted pine nuts, garlic, and a generous hit of lemon juice and zest for a pesto that's bright, nutty, and deeply savory. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that rich, cheesy depth you'd expect from a classic pesto — no dairy required, and absolutely no sweeteners hiding in the mix. Many store-bought pestos and even some homemade versions sneak in honey as a flavor balancer, so making your own from scratch is the cleanest way to keep things completely free of it. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that pays off big, coaxing out a warm, buttery flavor that anchors the whole sauce. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and the slow drizzle of olive oil at the end brings everything together into a thick, glossy, spoonable consistency. It's endlessly versatile — toss it with pasta, spread it on flatbread, swirl it into grain bowls, or use it as a dip for roasted vegetables. Once you've made a batch, you'll want to keep a jar of it in the fridge at all times.
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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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