An incredibly simple and delicious dairy-free pesto made with cashews, fresh basil, lemon, garlic and olive oil. A fresh and zesty addition to your favorite Italian dish! Whole30 compliant, paleo, vegan, low-carb.
Whenever I make pesto, I always ask myself “why don’t I do this more often, it’s so simple and incredibly tasty!” It’s a super valid question, I really wonder why I don’t make it routinely. The zestiness of the lemon, the sharpness of the garlic and the freshness of the basil, it’s the best.
Notice how I did not mention the Parmesan there? That’s because this recipe is dairy-free, and I promise, you won’t miss it at all! And trust me, that is coming from someone who has a downright obsession with cheese.
This dairy-free pesto is extra fantastic because it comes together in less than 5 minutes, plus you get to control the ingredients that are used, unlike the store-bought stuff that is usually full of undesirable ingredients like preservatives and vegetable oils.
All you really need to make this dairy-free pesto is fresh basil, lemon, garlic, salt, cashews or walnuts and extra virgin olive oil. Just add all those tasty ingredients into the blender or food processor and pulse until pureed. If you want a smoother texture, the nuts can be soaked ahead of time, but if you like a bit of texture to your pesto, skip the soaking.
There are oodles of ways to use this dairy-free pesto. It’s fantastic as a marinade for chicken, or as a sauce to top your zucchini noodles. You can use it in your eggs for a deliciously savory breakfast, or add it on top of bread for a fun twist.
It would be fantastic instead of mayo on a sandwich, or as a spread on a burger. I used it to make this super-tasty pesto chicken spaghetti squash bake.
I hope you guys enjoyed this incredibly easy dairy-free and Whole30 compliant pesto sauce. If you tried it, please leave a comment below and let me know what you thought, and how you used it!
Delicious Dairy-Free Pesto (Whole30 Compliant, Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 oz fresh basil stems removed
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 tsp Salt I love this Himalayan pink salt
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp water or enough to thin out your sauce, if necessary
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, except the water.
- Pulse until combined. If too thick, add water by the tablespoon until desired texture is achieved.
- Use right away or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
2 comments
How much of the cashews or walnuts for this recipe? The nuts don’t currently seem to be listed in the ingredients list.
1/2 cup cashews or walnuts. Thanks for letting me know, I’ve fixed it!