MSG Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, garlicky, and packed with 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, buttery depth, while fresh basil and lemon zest keep the whole thing tasting alive and vibrant. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, cheesy richness you'd expect from a classic pesto — no parmesan needed, and no hidden additives to worry about either. Every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, which means you're in complete control of what goes into the bowl. Store-bought pestos and seasoning blends are notorious for sneaking in flavor enhancers, so making this from scratch is genuinely the smarter move. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and a slow drizzle of good olive oil brings it all together into a thick, glossy sauce that holds its shape beautifully. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or swirl it into soups — it's endlessly useful and tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant.
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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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