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a small bowl of basil cashew pesto with a spoon
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5 - Minute Basil Cashew Pesto

This recipe for basil cashew pesto takes about 5 minutes to make. Use it fresh or freeze it for later to use on pasta, zucchini noodles, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, grilled meats, fish or shrimp and prawns. A versatile Italian sauce.
Course Dressings and Sauces
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 164kcal
Author Flavour & Savour

Equipment

  • food processor
  • spatula
  • skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil, packed
  • ⅓ cup cashews, toasted
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ cup olive oil, extra virgin

Instructions

  • Toast cashews in a skillet until lightly browned. Let cool slightly.
    toasting cashews in a skillet
  • Add all ingredients to a food processor.
    Basil pesto ingredients in food processor bowl
  • Pulse until finely chopped, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl.
    Processing Basil Pesto in a food processor
  • With machine running, pour olive oil through the chute and process until well combined.
  • Transfer to glass jars or ice cube trays.
    Basil pesto in ice cube tray
  • Refrigerate or freeze.

Notes

Possible variations: 
  • Change the nuts: substitute almonds, walnuts or the traditional pine nuts for the cashews.
  • Keep it dairy-free and vegan: add 3 - 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese
  • Make it thinner: add a little water until you achieve the consistency you like.
  • Leave it a little chunky, or process it longer to give it a smoother consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 341IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg