Gelatin 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 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 for the traditional parmesan, delivering that umami, cheesy quality without any animal-derived ingredients. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice keeps the whole thing lively and balanced against the richness of the olive oil. Many store-bought pestos rely on dairy or additives that can be tricky to vet, so blending your own at home means you know exactly what's in the jar. The food processor does most of the work, and the whole thing comes together in minutes — just pulse, stream, and taste. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or swirl it into soups; this pesto is endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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