Celery Free Vegan Walnut Pesto

Total time15 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.9

(25)

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 a small step that pays off big — it draws out a rich, nutty depth that makes the finished pesto taste far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Nutritional yeast steps in to deliver that cheesy, umami punch without any dairy, making this fully plant-based without sacrificing any of the boldness you'd expect from a classic pesto. A hit of fresh lemon juice keeps it bright and balanced, cutting through the richness of the olive oil beautifully. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and the whole thing comes together in minutes once your walnuts have cooled. Every ingredient here is straightforward and naturally free of celery and celery derivatives, so there's no label-reading anxiety — just clean, vibrant flavor. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables and watch it disappear.

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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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