Bright, herby, and packed with serious depth, this kale pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasted pine nuts bring a warm, buttery richness that balances the slight bitterness of the kale, while fresh basil keeps things light and aromatic. A hit of lemon juice and zest lifts the whole mixture, and nutritional yeast adds a savory, almost cheesy quality without any dairy in sight. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting here, so you go from a pile of greens to a thick, glossy, spreadable sauce in just minutes. Store-bought pestos can be a minefield of hidden additives and grain-based thickeners, but every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to verify. Toss it with pasta, swipe it onto flatbread, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or use it as a dip — it holds its shape beautifully and keeps well in a jar in the fridge.
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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.
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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