Lupin Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, and packed with leafy green flavor, this dairy-free pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on everything. Toasted pine nuts bring a warm, buttery depth, while fresh basil and kale create a bold base that's more complex than your average jarred spread. A hit of lemon juice and lemon zest lifts the whole thing, keeping it vibrant and fresh rather than heavy. Nutritional yeast steps in for parmesan, delivering that savory, umami richness without any dairy — and it works beautifully. Many store-bought pestos and plant-based sauces sneak in lupin flour or lupin-based protein as a thickener or filler, so making your own from scratch is genuinely the safest and most satisfying route. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to source, and the food processor does most of the heavy lifting. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or swirl it into grain bowls — this one earns a permanent spot in your 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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