Pecan Free Vegan Walnut Pesto

Total time15 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.9

(25)

Bright, herby, and deeply savory, this walnut-based pesto is the kind of sauce that makes you want to put it on absolutely everything. Toasting the walnuts in a dry skillet before blending 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 parmesan, delivering that umami, cheesy quality without any dairy, while fresh lemon juice keeps the whole thing lively and balanced. The food processor does the heavy lifting, and streaming in the olive oil while it runs gives you that thick, spoonable consistency that clings perfectly to pasta, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. Because every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, you never have to second-guess what's in the jar — no mystery additives, no cross-contact concerns from store-bought versions. It comes together in minutes and keeps well, making it one of the most useful sauces to have stashed in your fridge.

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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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