Pistachio Free Vegan Walnut Pesto
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 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 the parmesan, delivering that umami, cheesy quality without any dairy, while fresh lemon juice keeps the flavors lively and sharp. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and streaming in the olive oil slowly is what gives you that thick, spoonable consistency rather than a greasy, broken sauce. For anyone navigating tree nut sensitivities around pistachios specifically, this recipe is a clean, straightforward choice — walnuts are the only nut in play, and every ingredient is easy to verify. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, or use it as a dip; this pesto is endlessly versatile and comes together faster than you'd expect.
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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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