Macadamia Free Vegan Lemon Arugula Pesto
Bright, peppery, and packed with fresh flavor, this arugula pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasted pine nuts bring a buttery richness that pairs beautifully with the bold bite of fresh arugula, while a hit of lemon juice and zest keeps the whole thing lively and vibrant. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that savory, cheesy depth you'd expect from a classic pesto — no dairy required, and no compromise on flavor. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and the slow drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil at the end brings it all together into a thick, spoonable sauce with just the right amount of texture. It comes together in minutes and works beautifully tossed with pasta, spread on toast, or dolloped over roasted vegetables. Every ingredient here is straightforward and easy to source, so you can skip the label-reading stress and get straight to cooking.
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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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