Artificial Food Coloring Free Vegan Walnut Pesto
Bright, herby, and deeply savory, this walnut pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasting the walnuts first is the move — it draws out a rich, nutty depth that makes the finished pesto taste far more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. Nutritional yeast steps in for parmesan, adding that umami punch and a subtle cheesiness that keeps this completely plant-based without sacrificing any satisfaction. Fresh basil, real garlic, and a squeeze of lemon juice round it out into something that tastes genuinely vibrant and alive. Store-bought pestos are notorious for sneaking in dyes, preservatives, and artificial additives, but every single ingredient here is whole and recognizable — nothing synthetic, nothing hidden. The food processor does most of the work, and a slow drizzle of good olive oil at the end brings it all together into a luscious, spoonable sauce with just the right amount of texture. Toss it with pasta, swipe it on flatbread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables — it's endlessly versatile and completely made from scratch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Add the walnuts to a small dry skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely, as they can brown quickly. Transfer to a plate and let cool for 2 minutes.
- 2
Combine the toasted walnuts, basil, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and roughly uniform.
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