BHA & BHT 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 — just a few minutes in a dry skillet coaxes out a rich, nutty depth that takes the whole batch to another level. Nutritional yeast steps in for parmesan, delivering that umami punch without any dairy, while fresh lemon juice keeps things lively and balanced. Many store-bought pestos and condiments sneak in synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, but every ingredient here is whole and straightforward — nothing processed, nothing hidden. Extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, real garlic: it's exactly what it looks like. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and you can dial in the texture anywhere from chunky and rustic to nearly smooth depending on how long you let it run. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or swirl it into soup — this one earns its place in regular rotation.
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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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