Perfectly Plant Based Cashew Pesto

Plant Based Cashew Pesto —the epitome of garden goodness!

Whoa—-here’s the recipe I’ve been waiting all year to share! Because I’ve been waiting all summer to make and eat my favorite garden treat—my plant based cashew pesto!!!!

Vegan Pesto, Plant Based Pesto, Plant Powered Pesto, Cashew Pesto, That Yummy Green Stuff, or my favorite, “Wow, What Is This?”

Call it what you like, just make it and call me for dinner when you decide to make it!
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Summer Dreams

I dream of basil…

When springtime rolls around, and it’s time to think about our garden plan, I start to salivate. Because, along with the usual tomatoes, peppers, and melons, my essential garden plant is BASIL!!!!

Gobs of basil!

I don’t plant one plant of basil, I go for a PATCH!

Because I know, that with those juicy red tomatoes, I’m going to slice them and plop them on top of a piece of crusty bread, and slather them my cashew pesto!

Is there anything more delicious than that? Home grown tomatoes and freshly made vegan cashew pesto? I think not.

I literally feel like I’m almost in heaven when I get to eat cashew pesto. And since we eat and cook vegan, I discovered that it’s SO EASY to whip up plant based pesto—but you’ve gotta have a ton of basil!

Plan Ahead!!

If you want Cashew Pesto, Plant More Basil!!

I’m delighted this year with our pesto patch, er…basil patch. The boys planted tons of seeds, and not all of them grew, but we have enough to get a good amount. The other day I harvested approximately 2 gallons of basil leaves to make about 4 1/2 cups of cashew pesto, so it does take a lot!

So about now I’m sure that you’ve got the idea—I love pesto, so why not just tell you how to make it?

Good idea.

Let’s jump in.

If you would prefer to see the process, please visit out YouTube channel and watch a demonstration at How to Make Vegan Pesto

Plant Based Cashew Pesto

Place in blender:

1/2 cup Nuts/Seeds (I use cashew pieces or 1/2 cashew/1/2 pumpkin seeds) 1/2 cup (can use cashews, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or a combination) *
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 T to 1/4 c Lemon Juice (to taste)
1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan Pink Salt)
1/4 c Nutritional Yeast Flakes. (This is how you achieve a “cheesy” flavor!
4+ Garlic Cloves
4 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, rinsed and packed!
*Note—wash raw cashews before using!

Blend gently, while pushing ingredients down into blades. Blend ONLY UNTIL LIGHTLY BROKEN DOWN, not smooth. Keep it chunky!

Yield: about 2 cups

That’s it!

Serve it:

With Home-Grown Tomatoes
Spread on crusty bread
On Pizza
On Pasta!
On Roasted Potatoes
As a Veggie Dip
On Mashed Potatoes
On Burritos
In Tofu See my recipe for Homestead Tofu Breakfast Scramble

Store Cashew Pesto:

In small jars in the fridge up to a week (it won’t last that long here!)
Ice Cube Trays–Freeze your Green Goodness and pop them out when done. Store in Freezer bags for the Winter. Take out as many as you want for soup, or any of the above ideas. Works wonderfully!!
In small jars in the Freezer. Baby food jars or jam jars work well!

Gift it:

Anyone would be happy to receive a little jar of this Perfectly Plant Based Cashew Pesto, so spread the love.
One time, my sister-in-love was moving and she sent us her frozen stash! Oh. My .Goodness!!!! That was our gain!!!! You can believe that we enjoyed that green treasure and thought of her each time we took out a jar!!

So…there you have it! A perfectly plant based cashew pesto that you can whip up in minutes!

What are your even waiting for????

Go make your plant based cashew pesto!!! And Enjoy!!