High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Vegan Walnut Pesto
Bright, herby, and deeply savory, this walnut pesto comes together in a food processor with just a handful of whole, recognizable ingredients. Toasting the walnuts first is a small step that pays off big — it draws out their natural richness and gives the finished sauce a warm, nutty depth that pairs beautifully with the fresh basil. Nutritional yeast stands in for parmesan, adding that umami punch without any dairy, while a squeeze of lemon keeps everything tasting vibrant and alive. Store-bought pesto and many jarred sauces are loaded with sweeteners and additives you'd never expect, so making your own means you know exactly what's going in the bowl. The slow drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the end is what transforms the chopped mixture into a luscious, spoonable sauce with just the right amount of texture. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, or dollop it over roasted vegetables — it's 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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