Wheat Free Vegan Kale Pesto with Lemon Zest
Bright, garlicky, and packed with leafy greens, this kale pesto delivers serious depth of flavor without a drop of dairy or a trace of gluten. 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 that anchors the whole sauce. Nutritional yeast steps in where parmesan usually lives, giving the pesto that savory, umami backbone you'd expect from a classic version. Fresh lemon juice and zest keep everything lively and vibrant, cutting through the richness of the olive oil beautifully. Store-bought pestos are notorious for sneaking in cheese, wheat-based thickeners, or ambiguous "natural flavors," so making your own from scratch puts you fully in control of every ingredient. The texture lands somewhere between rustic and silky — thick enough to cling to pasta, spread on toast, or dollop over roasted vegetables. It comes together in one food processor and keeps well in a jar, making it one of the most versatile sauces you can have on hand.
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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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