5 Minute Vegan Pesto (Basil & Cashew)
Fresh basil and cashew pesto made with 5 simple ingredients. Zesty, rich, and ready in 5 minutes—perfect as a dip, spread, or tossed with pasta.
Servings 1 jar (~10 oz)
Calories 92kcal
Equipment
- Food processor
- High powered blender (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves Loosely packed; approx. 48g
- 1 clove garlic Peeled and roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup raw cashews Approx. 38g
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil Approx. 67g
- 1 medium lemon Juiced; yields approx. 2–3 tbsp or 30–45g juice
- ½ tsp salt Approx. 3g
Instructions
- Add the basil, garlic, cashews, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor or high-powered blender.
- Pulse until well combined but still slightly chunky—some small pieces of cashew should remain for texture.
- Scrape down the sides as needed. If the pesto is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of extra olive oil and pulse briefly to combine.
- Avoid over-blending, as this can make the olive oil taste bitter.
- Serve immediately as a dip, sandwich spread, pasta sauce, or topping for roasted vegetables.
Video
Notes
The recipe yields approximately 1¼ cups of pesto, which fits nicely into a 10 oz jar (or about 300 ml).
Nutritional information is estimated per serving, based on 1 tablespoon per serving (10 servings total).
Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg