Turmeric 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 draws out their natural richness and gives the finished pesto a warm, nutty depth that raw walnuts simply can't match. 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. A slow stream of good olive oil ties it all together into a thick, spoonable sauce with just enough texture to feel rustic and satisfying. Many store-bought pestos sneak in unexpected spice blends or anti-caking agents that can be hard to vet, so making your own from scratch means you know exactly what's in the jar. Toss it with pasta, spread it on toast, swirl it into soup, or use it as a dip — this one is endlessly versatile and comes together in minutes with a food processor and a handful of pantry staples.
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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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