Seed Oil Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, garlicky, and packed with leafy greens, 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 that balances the slight bitterness of the kale, while fresh basil keeps things aromatic and lively. A hit of lemon juice and zest cuts right through the richness, giving the whole thing a clean, zippy finish that store-bought pesto simply cannot match. Extra-virgin olive oil is the only fat here — no industrial seed oils, no refined vegetable blends — so you know exactly what you're drizzling over your pasta, grain bowls, or crusty bread. Nutritional yeast steps in for parmesan, lending a savory, umami backbone that makes this completely plant-based without sacrificing any of that classic pesto depth. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and a quick toast of the pine nuts in a dry skillet is the only real technique involved. Make a jar of this on the weekend 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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