• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Liv Vegan Strong

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Resources
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dips & Sauces

    Feb 20, 2022 · Modified: Jul 20, 2022 by Liv · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Easy Vegan Cashew Basil Pesto

    Jump to Recipe

    This Easy Vegan Cashew Basil Pesto comes together in under 5 minutes and is fresh, flavorful, and the perfect condiment to have on hand to add to many different meals. I especially enjoy serving this delicious easy vegan basil pesto over tofu ricotta stuffed shells, gnocchi, and sandwiches.

    Close up of basil pesto surrounded by garlic cloves and basil.

    The best part of this homemade cashew pesto is that it can be made quickly in a food processor or blender. I'd say this would take under 5 minutes to pull together then you can have it on hand for all your pesto creations. Pesto is seriously delicious on just about anything.

    Classic basil pesto typically has pine nuts and parmesan but in this vegan version, we will be using cashews, lots of basil, and nutritional yeast!


    Kitchen Essentials:

    You'll need a food processor or blender for this recipe. I used a nutri-bullet. Stop and scrape the sides to make sure everything is well incorporated and the cashews get chopped finely.


    Main Ingredients

    This easy cashew pesto recipe comes together in under 5 minutes and tastes absolutely amazing on sandwiches, your favorite pasta, grain bowls, and more!

    • Fresh Basil Leaves
    • Lemon Juice
    • Garlic
    • Cashews
    • Nutritional Yeast
    • Olive Oil

    Ingredient Breakdown:

    This basil cashew pesto contains simple ingredients and is a super easy recipe to prep ahead of time and store in an airtight container or simple enough to whip up and create a quick and easy vegan dinner. Add roasted vegetables, protein, and your favorite pasta and you've got yourself a delicious meal!

    • Basil: Fresh basil is preferred for this cashew pesto but if you dislike basil, use any fresh herbs you enjoy.
    • Lemon Juice: Lemon juice helps balance out the flavors. You can also add some lemon zest!
    • Garlic: What's pesto without garlic? Fresh garlic adds great flavor.
    • Cashew Nuts: I used cashews instead of the more traditional pine nuts- you could also use walnuts or even almonds. I love creamy cashews but any nut will work!
    • Nutritional Yeast: Instead of parmesan, I used nutritional yeast. It adds a great flavor- you can use vegan parmesan if you don't have any nutritional yeast.
    • Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is a key ingredient in pesto- don't skip it!
    pesto in a jar.

    How to Make this Recipe

    Add all the ingredients of this creamy cashew pesto to a food processor or blender and blend a few times until combined. Add water as needed to help blend.

    You may or may not need 3 tablespoons- this really depends on your food processor or blender.

    Transfer the pesto to an airtight jar to store in the fridge or use immediately. Enjoy!


    What can I put this vegan pesto on?

    • Make pesto pasta or drizzle it over vegan ricotta stuffed shells or even on top of your traditional spaghetti and veggie meatballs or gnocchi
    • Add to sandwiches with vegan chicken and vegan mozzarella cheese
    • Drizzling over roasted vegetables and grilled tofu or on top of a salad
    • Serve drizzled over homemade pizza
    • Mix it into potato salad or pasta salad or use it as a salad dressing
    • More pesto recipes: Creamy Vegan Broccoli Pesto Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower and Vegan Tofu Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
    Vegan Pesto Broccoli Pasta topped with spicy roasted cauliflower.

    Pesto Variations:

    Change up this cashew basil pesto recipe however you’d like! Taste and adjust it to your preference by adding more olive oil, garlic, salt, or lemon. It’s all up to you and what flavor you want to bring forward.

    You can also change it up by adding pine nuts instead of cashews or adding spinach or kale along with the fresh basil. This recipe is very forgiving and is delicious in almost every variation.

    Add red pepper flakes for a little heat or red peppers to change it up and create a red pepper pesto as well as kale for kale pesto. The options are endless!


    Substitutions:

    The great thing about this delicious pesto is how forgiving it is! This vegan cashew pesto can be made in a variety of ways and still come out tasty and delicious.

    • Basil: You can use parsley, a mix of herbs, kale or baby spinach!
    • Garlic: I recommend garlic-infused olive oil in replace of fresh garlic cloves if you're sensitive to garlic or want to leave it out. It gives the pesto a lot of flavor so I wouldn't completely eliminate it.
    • Cashews: I always have cashews in my pantry so it's my go-to for pesto but you can replace this with walnuts or pine nuts- you can use any kind of nut. I do recommend that you toast the nuts before adding them to the pesto. I usually buy pre-roasted cashews
    • Nutritional Yeast: I love the addition of nutritional yeast. It adds the cheesy flavor that you'd typically get from parmesan cheese. Follow Your Heart and Violife have delicious vegan-friendly parmesan cheeses that would work well.
    Shot of pesto in an open container surrounded by garlic and basil.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Isn't pesto already vegan?

    Traditional basil pesto has parmesan cheese in it but can easily be substituted with vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast and trust me when I say that the cheese won't be missed.

    Why did my pesto turn brown?

    You should use homemade pesto within 3-5 days. The top of the pesto turns brown when stored because it is exposed to air but this can be prevented by adding some more olive oil over the top. You can still eat it if the top turned a little brown.

    Does Pesto need to be refrigerated?

    Yes! Store pesto in an airtight jar in the fridge for 3-5 days.

    Can I freeze pesto?

    I recommend freezing them in ice cube trays and popping them out and adding them to the pan with your pasta or vegetables.


    Stack of Tofu Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches garnished with basil.

    More Sauce & Dip Recipes You Might Like:

    • Caramelized Onion Cashew Cheese Dip
    • Whipped Vegan Feta w/ Spicy Maple Drizzle
    • Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Cheese Sauce

    If You Make This Recipe:

    Tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!

     

    Close up of basil pesto surrounded by garlic cloves and basil.

    Easy Vegan Cashew Basil Pesto

    This Easy Vegan Cashew Basil Pesto comes together in under 5 minutes and is fresh, flavorful, and the perfect condiment to have on hand to add to sandwiches, pastas, and more!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 cup
    Author: Liv King

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 ½ cup Fresh Basil Leaves packed
    • ¼ cup Olive Oil
    • ¼ cup Cashews chopped finely
    • ¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
    • 2 Garlic Cloves
    • 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
    • Zest from Lemon optional
    • 2-3 tablespoons Water as needed
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend a few times until combined. Add water as needed to help blend. You may or may not need 3 tablespoons- this really depends on your food processor or blender. Transfer the pesto to an airtight jar to store in the fridge or use immediately. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Use homemade pesto within 3-5 days. The top of the pesto turns brown when stored because it is exposed to air but this can be prevented by adding some more olive oil over the top.
    Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram!
    • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter
    • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook
    • Share on Pinterest Share on Pinterest
    • Share via Email Share via Email

    More Dips & Sauces

    • Vegan Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
    • Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Cilantro Lime Sauce
    • Vegan Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup (Starbucks Copycat)
    • Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, my name is Liv!

    I'm the recipe developer, content creator, and food photographer behind Liv Vegan Strong.

    I share vegan comfort food recipes that are easy, approachable, and far from boring!

    More about me →

    Easy Dinner Recipes

    • Easy Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
    • Easy Vegan Tomato Basil Soup with Coconut Milk
    • Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
    • Vegan Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll with Tempeh

    Most Popular

    • Easy Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
    • Overnight Oats with Almond Milk
    • Vegan Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll with Tempeh
    • Vegan Chicken Broth Seasoning Powder

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Contact

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Buy Me a Coffee

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Terms and Conditions

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    By clicking on an affiliate link and buying a product, you may help me earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Liv Vegan Strong | All Rights Reserved

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT