When my basil gets big enough to make into pesto, I do a happy dance. I love pesto–it’s fabulous on eggs, smeared on a sandwich, spread on grilled chicken, or mixed into pasta! Its uses are endless. However, in my area of the country one cannot always find pine nuts, a typical pesto ingredient. So a couple of years ago I added cashews instead. Pure happiness! Cashew Basil Pesto is a snap to throw together and the cashews lend a creaminess that can’t be beat. If your basil is going crazy and you want a new condiment in your refrigerator, give Cashew Basil Pesto a try!
Basil Tips:
When choosing basil for pesto, be sure to use fresh leaves from a plant that hasn’t flowered. I wash the leaves well, but I don’t dry them completely. A little moisture in the pesto will be OK.
I also use a food processor for Cashew Basil Pesto. The cashews, garlic cloves, and Parmesan chunks go in first to be whirled into a nice paste. This takes a few pulses. And should look like this:
Next, I add the basil leaves. This fills up the food processor bowl.
After pulsing the leaves together with the cashew mixture, I slowly begin to drizzle the olive oil through the food processor’s tube. I only use 1/3 c. of olive oil because I like a thicker pesto, but you can add as much as you need to get the consistency that you desire.
Please try Cashew Basil Pesto the next time your basil crop is abundant. I think you’ll be glad you did. 🙂 Let me know your favorite way to include pesto in dishes…I’d love to hear your ideas! 🙂
Notes
Some people say covering the pesto with a layer of olive oil will keep the color better, as pesto does experience browning due to oxidation.
Ingredients
- 1 c. cashews (salted or unsalted are fine, just take this into account when adding salt later)
- 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, cut into small cubes
- 3-5 whole garlic cloves
- 3 c. basil, washed and packed
- 1/4 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. Kosher salt
- 1/3 c. high quality olive oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cashews, Parmesan cheese and garlic cloves until a paste forms.
- Add the 3 cups of packed basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Pulse again until a paste forms and mixture is uniform.
- Slowly add olive oil through bowl tube, processing until desired consistence is reached.
- Place is tightly sealed bowl and refrigerate, or add to ice cube trays to freeze for a later use.