Ginger Free Vegan Lemon Arugula Pesto
Bright, peppery, and loaded with fresh flavor, this plant-based pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasted pine nuts bring a buttery richness that balances the bold bite of fresh arugula, while nutritional yeast adds a savory, cheesy depth without any dairy. A hit of lemon juice and zest keeps the whole thing lively and vibrant. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting here — a few pulses and a slow drizzle of good olive oil is really all it takes to pull it together. Every single ingredient in this recipe is naturally free of ginger, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved. Toss it with pasta, spread it on flatbread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables — this pesto is endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 3 cups packed fresh arugula
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Combine the toasted pine nuts, arugula, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped.
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