Basil and Cashew Pesto
Basil and Cashew Pesto is a great alternative pesto using cashew nuts. This easy pesto recipe is versatile and quickly whipped up in the food processor.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time0 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Australian, International
Keyword: basil and cashew pesto, basil pesto
Servings: 8
Calories: 192kcal
Basil and Cashew Pesto
- 2 cups basil leaves Note 1
- ½ cup cashews Note 2
- ½ cup parmesan cheese Note 3
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice Note 4
Basil and Cashew Pesto
Combine basil leaves, cashew nuts, parmesan cheese and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, blitz for approximately 10 seconds.
Remove the lid and scrap the sides of the bowl, pushing the pesto back into the food processor.
Use a teaspoon to taste a small amount, then add lemon juice a little at a time, blitz for another couple of seconds then taste again. Repeat till desired taste achieved.
Pesto can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for one week.
- Note 1 Pull the leaves off the stems and add to a bowl. Don't worry if a little bit of stem gets into the mix, but for the majority, we are looking for the leaves not the stem.
- Note 2 I use roasted unsalted cashews for this recipe.
- Note 3 Try and get the parmesan cheese that has a real 'bite' to the taste and texture. It is THE BEST and other ones whilst still being cheese, won't taste as good. The packet will indicate 'strong flavour'.
- Note 4 If you want to use fresh lemon and squeeze it in, that works, but store bought lemon juice is fine, don't loose a wink of sleep over this one ingredient.
Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg