Peanut 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 elevates the whole batch. Nutritional yeast steps in for parmesan, delivering that umami punch without any dairy, while fresh lemon juice keeps the flavor lively and balanced. The food processor does most of the work, and streaming in the olive oil at the end gives you a thick, spoonable texture that clings beautifully to pasta, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. Because every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, there's no guesswork about hidden allergens sneaking in from processed cheese or store-bought shortcuts. It comes together in minutes and keeps well, so you can make a full batch and reach for it all week long.
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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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