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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
Diet
Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time
5
minutes
Total Time
5
minutes
Servings
8
Calories
164
kcal
Author
Elaine
Equipment
food processor
spatula
skillet
Ingredients
2
cups
fresh basil,
packed
⅓
cup
cashews,
toasted
2
cloves
garlic,
roughly chopped
1
tablespoon
lemon juice,
freshly squeezed
¼
cup
Parmesan cheese,
grated
½
teaspoon
sea salt
½
cup
olive oil,
extra virgin
Instructions
Toast cashews in a skillet until lightly browned. Let cool slightly.
Add all ingredients to a food processor.
Pulse until finely chopped, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl.
With machine running, pour olive oil through the chute and process until well combined.
Transfer to glass jars or ice cube trays.
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:
164
kcal
|
Carbohydrates:
2
g
|
Protein:
2
g
|
Fat:
17
g
|
Saturated Fat:
3
g
|
Cholesterol:
2
mg
|
Sodium:
197
mg
|
Potassium:
53
mg
|
Fiber:
1
g
|
Sugar:
1
g
|
Vitamin A:
341
IU
|
Vitamin C:
2
mg
|
Calcium:
51
mg
|
Iron:
1
mg