Mustard 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 to deliver that cheesy, umami punch you'd expect from a classic pesto, no dairy required. A hit of fresh lemon juice keeps the whole thing lively and balanced against the bold garlic and grassy olive oil. Many store-bought pestos and condiments sneak in mustard or mustard-derived ingredients as an emulsifier or flavor booster, so blending your own from scratch is the cleanest way to stay worry-free. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and the slow drizzle of olive oil at the end gives you that luscious, spoonable consistency without turning it into a paste. Toss it with pasta, swirl it into soups, spread it on toast, or use it as a dipping sauce — this one earns its place in your regular rotation fast.
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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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