Dairy-Free Cashew Pesto (Pesto Without Pine Nuts)
This easy dairy-free pesto without pine nuts is fresh, flavorful, and ready in five minutes. This recipe is made with cashew butter, basil, olive oil, and other clean ingredients. Add vegan pesto to your favorite pasta, sandwiches, or flatbreads.
I’ve been slowly transitioning to a dairy-free lifestyle which meant a classic dairy-free pesto recipe needed to happen STAT.
You might be wondering “Isn’t your five-minute pea pesto dairy-free?”
And to that, I would say…”You aren’t wrong.”
BUT I wanted a more creamy, classic-style dairy-free pesto this time around.
That recipe is also nut-free while this recipe contains cashews. 😉
So, what is pesto!?
Pesto traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, olive oil, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Sardo.
It gets blended up into a delicious sauce or spread that is perfect for pasta, pizza, or sandwiches.
It’s also delicious on top of Cauliflower Gnocchi with Shrimp.
YUM.
What Ingredients do I need to make dairy-free pesto without pine nuts?
- Basil
- Olive Oil
- Cashew Butter
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Salt
You will also need a food processor or Nutri-ninja to blend your pesto and an air-tight container for storing it in your fridge.
Head to my amazon shop page for all of my favorite appliances, ingredients, and more. 🙂
9 creative ways to eat dairy-free pesto without pine nuts!
Pesto isn’t just for pasta, y’all. There are so many other fun ways to incorporate pesto into your diet.
- Drizzled over avocado toast or your eggs for a savory breakfast.
- Stir it into plain Greek yogurt for a delicious dip with chips or veggie sticks.
- Use pesto in place of red sauce for pizza.
- Bake pesto into your bread for a delicious garlicky basil flare.
- Spread a generous layer onto your sandwich in place of mustard or mayo.
- Add some vinegar to your pesto to thin it out and create a herb-vinaigrette for salad or pasta salad.
- Add pesto to potato salad or baked potatoes.
- Drizzle dairy-free pesto over steak, chicken, or pork chops.
- Blend this dairy-free pesto with chickpeas to make a delicious plant-based pesto-hummus.
Is pesto healthy?
Pesto is made with good-for-you ingredients like olive oil and fresh herbs. It traditionally includes pine nuts, but my pesto without pine nuts recipe uses cashew butter instead!
The term “healthy” is highly subjective, but I consider pesto to be a very healthy option when it comes to sauces based on the ingredients.
Pesto is not a low-calorie or low-fat food, but its full of healthy fats and nutrients!
PIN ME FOR LATER!
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy five-minute vegan cashew pesto without pine nuts!
As always, be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make this recipe or any of my recipes.
I love sharing your creations on my stories!
If you like this recipe you will also love:
– Five MInute Tzatziki
– Five Minute Pea Pesto
– Vegan Tomato Cream Sauce | No Added Sugar
Dairy-Free Pesto Without Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Fresh Basil
- 1/2 Cup olive oil
- 1/4 Cup Cashew Butter
- 4 Cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to one week.
