Lemon Cashew Pesto

5 from 3 votes

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Pesto, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this sauce. The fresh smell of basil is probably my second favorite herb. It is related to the peppermint, but is completely different and can be found used in cuisines from Italy to Thailand. To shake things up I made this Lemon Cashew Pesto. I thought you needed to try it.

Lemon Cashew Pesto1


What I like most about it is it’s delicate, nuanced flavor when rough chopped and floated in soups, or that added flavor weapon when mixed into a dessert like my Blueberry, Strawberry, Goat Cheese and Basil Tart.

Lemon Cashew Pesto

For this recipe I decided to utilize some roasted cashews I had leftover from holiday baking and instead of the usual toasted pine nuts, I added the cashews to my Lemon Cashew Pesto for a fantastic twist on a simple, delicious pasta sauce.

Lemon Cashew Pesto2

This recipe isn’t rocket science. It’s simple and packed quite the flavor to the whole wheat pasta I made with some sautéed chicken. The lemon zest brightened it up and the red pepper flakes added a little back note of heat. Feel free to omit if you like.

Lemon Cashew Pesto3

How to make it

Add the cashews, garlic cloves, zest of half a lemon, pinch kosher salt, pinch of red pepper flakes and the freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese to a food processor. Blend with pulsing motion for a minute or so to breakdown and form a paste.

This alone was worth a taste test it smelled so good and I might have to revisit this part as a coating for chicken… but back to this recipe.

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Next add the basil and with processor running slowly add the oil in a steady stream to blend thoroughly.

This makes almost 3 cups of fresh pesto which can be used over hot pasta, as a dipping sauce or spread.

Lemon Cashew Pesto5

I decided to sauté some chicken and toss it in with the cooked whole wheat pasta. A sprinkle of some fresh Parmesan-Reggiano and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top made for a perfect dinner.

The delicious, nutty flavor of the cashews and the basil make for a fantastic pesto. I hope you like it as much as I do, enjoy!

Lemon Cashew Pesto6
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lemon cashew pesto in bowl

Lemon Cashew Pesto

5 from 3 votes
This Lemon Cashew Pesto is made from fresh basil and roasted cashews instead of the usual pine nuts. I add lemon zest, red pepper flakes and Parmesan!
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 3/4 cup cashews
  • 4 medium sized garlic cloves
  • zest of half a lemon
  • pinch salt
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
  • 3 cups fresh basil leaves packed
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients except for basil and olive oil to food processor. Blend with pulsing motion for a minute or so to breakdown and form a paste.
  • Next add the basil and with processor running slowly add the oil in a steady stream to blend thoroughly.
  • This makes almost 3 cups of fresh pesto which can be used over hot pasta, as a dipping sauce or spread.

Nutrition

Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 80mg | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 0.8mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American, Italian
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
lemon cashew pesto in bowl with sprig of basil

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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20 Comments

    1. The cashews just give it a different level of flavor and it’s so nuanced. Love it and thanks for the comment Gail, have a great day!

  1. 5 stars
    This pesto has brilliant written all over it. From its color to its flavor profile to its ease. Super-well done!

    1. Mike, sorry you guys are so snowed in back there – at least you get seasons. Out here it is rare for sure, although I’m not complaining, thats why it costs so much to live here. SUNSHINE. It will be there before you know it and then it’s pesto for you!

  2. You’ve been busy in the kitchen over there, Kevin! P.S. I absolutely love pesto. We always take all of the basil out of our garden when it first turns chilly in the Fall. Then I make a ginormous batch of pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays for easy access throughout the winter. I’ll have to keep this lemon cashew version on hand for the next time. Great photography here!

    1. Pesto – I love it on toast, pasta, you name it! Love the freezing idea. Why oh why have I never thought to do that?! Thanks David for the kind words on the photography, too. I’ve really been trying to use natural light as often as permissible and for my upcoming birthday might splurge on some Lowel EGO Digital Fluorescent Lights after reading around the food blogesphere and maybe this Neewer 110CM 43-Inch 5-in-1 Collapsible Multi-Disc Light Reflector. Time to play more and learn.

      1. Hi Kathy, you can use whatever you like. I try to keep the salt to a minimum and find adding is always better than trying to remove salt. Just omit the salt addition in the recipe and use you salted cashews, but it’s your pesto so taste it as you blend it!