Rocket and Cashew Pesto is a twist on the classic rocket pesto where we use cashew nuts instead of pine nuts.This easy pesto recipe is versatile and can be used for Rocket Pesto Pasta.. Use as a dip, on fish or flat breads! 
Dips and spreads are handy recipes that have many uses. Olive Tapenade recipes are good for entertaining as you can use them as a simple topping for bruschetta and crackers. Our Easy Crostini calls for toppings galore!
Pesto is an easy recipe made in the food processor.
Our Artichoke Olive Tapenade, Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade and Easy Green Olive Tapenade are ideas where you can make the recipes to serve or use them to stir through pasta or serve on fish or chicken. For a quick snack pair with homemade pita chips!
Flat breads, pasta sauce, sandwich spreads are perfect ways to use pesto!
Use this pesto as an alternative to the Basil and Cashew Pesto in our Pesto Penne with walnut crumb.
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How do you make pesto from scratch?
Making pesto from scratch is very easy. We combine all of the ingredients in our food processor, blitz to chop and combine, then add lemon juice to taste.
As the rocket leaves have a peppery, somewhat bitter taste, the pesto needs to be tasted after blitzing so we can add enough lemon juice to balance the flavours.
Pesto recipe with pine nuts
The most popular and well known version of pesto is basil pesto.
Basil Pesto is made using fresh basil, pine nuts (which can be toasted or untoasted), garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese.
It is a unique tasting recipe and a great way to use up basil leaves!
Pesto recipe without pine nuts
Pine nuts don't always have to be used in making pestos, another type of nut can be used to create a different pesto recipe from the standard.
As we have done with this recipe, cashews are the substitute for pine-nuts, you can also use walnuts if you like!
For vegan aruguia pesto, use a substitue for the parmesan cheese.
Pesto Uses
There are many ways to serve pesto and here are a few of them:
- stirred through pasta
- as a pizza sauce
- spread on cooked meats and fish
- on flatbreads
- as a dip
- spread for toast
- dressing for a salad
Substitute it for the cream pasta sauce in the Smoked Salmon Spaghetti for an easy weeknight dinner!
Add a little bacon and whip up the Bacon Pesto Pasta for something different.
Once you make it and store it in the fridge, you will find you want to spread it on EVERYTHING!
Rocket and Cashew ingredients
We use simple, easy to find ingredients for this recipe. The photo below shows you what you need:
As you can see, we have:
- rocket leaves
- garlic
- olive oil
- parmesan cheese
- cashews
- lemon juice
The lemon juice doesn't go into the pesto until the very end where we taste the pesto and adjust the flavour!
How to make Rocket Pesto
The photos below are step by step showing you how to make this pesto in the food processor:
- Add rocket leaves to food processor bowl (Photo 1)
- Add parmesan cheese (Photo 2)
- Garlic (Photo 3)
- Cashews (Photo 4)
You can toast the cashews for 3-4 mins in a pan on the stove for an extra depth of flavour!
- Add olive oil (shown in photo 5)
- all ingredients ready to blitz (shown in photo 6)
- blitz for approx 10 seconds to combine (shown in photo 7)
- taste, add lemon juice, blitz again, repeat tasting and continue until pesto is fresh and balanced (shown in photo 8)
You will achieve the perfect flavour through the process of adding the lemon juice at the very end to neutralise any bitterness.
You guys know that I love my before and after shots to show you the cooking process. The photos below show you the pesto ingredients in the food processor ready to be blitzed and after the food processor has blitzed and combined (10 seconds)
Rocket and Cashew pesto recipe quick info:
About the recipe:
- we only need 6 ingredients for this recipe!
- bottled lemon juice is fine!
- you can toast the cashews or leave them as it (faster)
- I use roasted unsalted cashews
FAQs about Cashew Rocket Pesto
- this is a vegetarian recipe
- blitz for less than 10 seconds
- you make make the pesto ahead of time
- the pesto will last for 1 week in the fridge
- the recipe makes about 1 cup of pesto
Your quick questions answered:
- This is a quick and easy recipe
- Store in the fridge in a sealed jar
- This is a FREEZER FRIENDLY recipe
- This is an EASY recipe
Expert tips:
These tips are to help you master this recipe from the 1st time you make it:
- add all of your ingredients to the food processor and blitz at the one time
- keep the blitz time short, it will take less than 10 seconds.
- once the ingredients are blitzed, taste the pesto, then add lemon and combine to get the flavour spot on and not bitter!
- freeze this receipe ahead of timie and defrosted as needed
Use the pesto in place of a traditional tomato based pizza sauce!
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Toast pita chips in the oven till brown and use the pesto as a spread for a light lunch.
Dip and spread recipes
For fuss free entertaining try these recipes:
- Chicken Liver Pate
- Easy Green Olive Tapenade
- Grazing Platter (to feed a crowd)
- Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
- Olive Tapenade
Or for the easiest vegetarian spaghetti try the Arugula Pesto Pasta! 
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Rocket and Cashew Pesto
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
Rocket and Cashew Pesto
- 2 cups rocket leaves Note 1
- ½ cup parmesan cheese Note 2
- ½ cup cashew nuts Note 3
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic peeled, end cut
- 1 tbsp lemon juice Note 4
Instructions
Rocket and Cashew Pesto
- Add rocket leaves, parmesan cheese, garlic, cashews and olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Place the lid on and blitz for less then 10 seconds till chopped and combined.
- Remove lid and taste pesto. Add lemon juice according to taste to balance any bitterness. Blitz for 2-4 seconds again till combined. Repeat till desired taste achieved.
- Store in a sealed jar for up to 1 week in the fridge. Recipe makes 1 cup of rocket and cashew pesto.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 Rocket and arugula are both names for the same thing. Often called rocket in Australia/New Zealand and argula in America and Canada.
- Note 2 I have used both shredded or grated parmesan cheese in homemade pestos. Either work fine. These are the cheese that is in the cold section of the supermarket with the other cheeses, not the pasta variety on the shelf.
- Note 3 I use roasted unsalted cashews
- Note 4 Bottled lemon juice is totally fine to use (and more likley you will have this than a fresh lemon). See the notes where I indicate that we add this at the end to counter any bitter taste from the rocket, taste as you go.
Nutrition
Healthy Pesto recipe
Let me tell you, you will be using this pesto for EVERYTHING!
Yes, store bought is fine, but there is a time and a place. And your kitchen and your crackers are not the time and place for store bought. Try it and you will LOVE the versatility and great flavour.
I've got your pesto needs sorted and your flatbread is covered (haha but true, OMG so good!)
Let me know if you have any questions, I would love to hear your feedback in the comments below.
Adrianne xx
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Artichoke Olive Tapenade Chicken Liver Pate Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade
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This sauce looks amazing! I love all the uses! Cannot wait to make this recipe! So easy too!
Thanks Cathy! Hope you love it. Cheers
Pine nuts are so expensive so I love the idea of using a different nut in pesto and the rocket adds a new dimension too.
That is great feedback, thanks Amanda!
OMG, this pesto looks seriously amazing. Never thought of using rocket salad in pesto, but seeing your pics, I think it totally works!
Thanks Alice!! Love your feedback, cheers.
I'm used to basil pesto but this pesto has a unique flavor with the rocket leaves. Delish!
I am so glad to hear you like it Alison, cheers for your feedback.
Wow, a classic twist to the traditional pesto. Love this and on my list to make these.
Thanks Sophie! That is great to hear, hope you try it and enjoy.
I am always up for a Pesto recipe!! Love that you are using cashew nuts in this - its such a fab alternative to pinenuts.
Thanks Sandhya! Yes I love the taste of cashews and in pesto they really compliment the other flavours. Cheers for your feedback.
I'm always looking for new pesto variations so this is right up my street! I also love cashews and rocket so much 🙂
Thanks Chris. That is great to hear. Yes, it is great to try new variations isn't it, I love doing that also, cheers for your feedback.
I love the idea of adding rocket. I bet the pepperiness adds a wonderful flavour. Can't wait to try it now.
Thanks Cristie! Absolutely it does indeed. It has such a unique great tasting flavour. Thanks
What a creative and delicious twist on traditional pesto, leveraging that peppery bite of rocket, combined with the warm, nutty, almost-sweet notes of cashews! So quick and simple, and I loved that you offered lots of suggestions for ways to use it ! Oh - and extra-awesome that it can be frozen, so I can make a big batch whenever I can find some rocket, and then have it on hand anytime!
Thanks Shelley for your feedback, it is great to hear and much appreciated. Yes, so easy to freeze and I love making a huge batch of it also. Appreciate your comments. Cheers
It's been really hard to find pine nuts lately at my grocery store, so I love the use of cashews. I'm really looking forward to trying this different take on pesto!
That is interesting to hear Sue, yes, its tricky to get all of your usual ingredients isn't it!! Thanks for your feedback, appreciate it.
This looks like something that my family would be all over. Can't wait to try it!
Thanks Katie! I hope you give it a go and that your home family is able to enjoy it together.
Rocket/Arugula pesto is so good! But I haven't made it with cashews before. definitely need to now! thanks for sharing!
Cheers Rebecca, I hope you give it a go and enjoy the recipe!
Rocket pesto??? I've never thought... Thank you for the idea, I have to try it! I am CRAZY about good homemade pesto, I just eat it of the spoon, but it's so hard to get fresh basil where I live 🙁
Sounds like this recipe is perfect for you Pris! Pity about the basil but if you can find rocket leaves, definitely give this a go, I am confident you will enjoy the flavours.
One of the best pesto recipes I've seen! Absolutely phenomenal color and the instructions seem incredibly easy to follow!
Thank-you for your feedback Dionna, I loved reading it. Glad to hear that the instructions and photos appeal to you. Happy cooking!
I love finding out that rocket and arugula are the same thing! This is amazing and so tasty!
Cheers Suzy! Happy to hear that you learnt something new. Thanks for your comments.
I prefer cashews in homemade pesto and I make a similar one to this so I know how good it tastes. Looks lush!
Thanks Jacqueline!! Cashews are great in pesto aren't they! A nice change from pine nuts, especially if you can't get easily. Thanks for your feedback.
What a great twist on pesto. I love anything with cashews.
Thanks Dannii, it is great to have your feedback!!
I just can never get tired of pesto. It is something I almost always have on the side and enjoy eating with my favorite meals. Your recipe looks super easy, too, which is great!
Thanks Mahy! I loved reading your feedback. Yes, it is a super easy recipe, cheers for commenting.
This recipe was absolutely delicious with the best flavor! Will definitely be making again and again!
Thanks Kim! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe, appreciate your feedback. Cheers
We love pesto as a quick and easy meal and I love the twist on this.
This pesto recipe was amazing!! It was a nice twist on the traditional basil pesto I typically make - and my whole family loved it!
We love Pesto made with cashewnuts, specially as Pinenuts are so expensive! This recipe is a great twist to the classic basil pesto.
I love your use of cashews instead of pine nuts - pine nuts are pricey and sometimes hard to find - but cashews are plentiful in my neck f the woods - looking forward to trying this spin on pesto - looks absolutely delish!
This is such a delicious pesto recipe, we love it and it is a real family favourite!
That is great to hear Bintu! Thanks so much for your feedback.