Turmeric Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, herby, and packed with leafy greens, this vegan pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Kale and fresh basil form the backbone, delivering a bold, slightly earthy flavor that gets lifted beautifully by fresh lemon juice and a hit of zest. Nutritional yeast steps in for the parmesan you'd find in a traditional pesto, giving it that savory, umami depth without any dairy. Toasting the pine nuts first is a small step that makes a big difference — it draws out their natural richness and adds a subtle nuttiness to every bite. The whole thing comes together in a food processor, so you're looking at minimal effort for maximum flavor payoff. Many store-bought pestos and spice blends sneak in unexpected ingredients, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's going in the jar. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or use it as a dipping sauce — this one is endlessly versatile.
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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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