Easy Vegan Kale Pesto Recipe with Cashews (2024)

FAQs

Can I replace pine nuts with cashews in pesto? ›

Cashew nuts are a delicious, lightly sweet nut option that makes for a creamier pesto. Cashews are often used in dairy-free cheese alternatives because of their creaminess. For the same reason, they are a perfect alternative to pine nuts.

Use it as a topping for roasted or baked potatoes. Spread it on sandwiches. Pesto's creamy texture and earthy taste make it the perfect condiment for your favorite panini or a vegan grilled cheese sandwich made with Trader Joe's Vegan Brioche. Drizzle it on pizza.

Cashew for their creamy texture, and almonds for their flavour.

Pine nuts in pesto can easily be replaced by other nuts: walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and even sunflower seeds, are all a perfect pine nut replacement.

There's one more twist in my go-to pesto recipe: cashews. Traditionally, pesto features pine nuts for texture. I like pesto with pine nuts, and I've made it that way plenty of times. But honestly, I prefer to use unroasted cashews.

Many pesto recipes call for raw pine nuts, but toasting the nuts can make the final sauce's flavor deeper and richer. Toast the nuts and then combine them—either as a paste or whole—with fresh basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic.

Try a spoonful of the sauce and add more salt, pepper, lemon juice, and/or nutritional yeast, as desired. If the kale pesto tastes bitter, add 1/4 teaspoon maple syrup or honey to balance it.

Sadly, classic basil pesto is not vegan because it contains Parmesan and Pecorino, which are both cheeses made from dairy. However, there are plenty of vegan pesto sauces available, many of which use nutritional yeast to replicate the taste of cheese.

The main differences have to do with their vitamin and mineral content. Cashews are very rich in minerals. They are especially rich in copper, which is good for your immune system and brain. While peanuts also contain important minerals, they don't have as many as cashews.

These two delicious nuts are similar in many ways, but there are also some differences between cashews and almonds. Almonds are the more nutritious option. They're also cheaper than cashews, so they're a better all-around choice. If you're baking, go with almonds since they're easier to blend.

Can I use other nuts besides pine nuts in pesto? ›

Almonds would be my choice, they have a delicate flavor. Unsalted cashews work well also. Macadamia and brazil nuts are also really good, though not necessarily cheaper than pine nuts. I prefer pecans to walnuts, since they are somewhat sweeter.

If you don't have fresh lemon you can substitute lime juice or apple cider vinegar. This will change the final flavor but still works well.

FAQ: How Long Does Homemade Pesto Last? You can store this basil pesto in a jar or sealable container, then tightly seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2–3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Almonds make an excellent pine nut substitute with their delicate, sweet–bitter taste and crunchy texture. Replace the pine nuts in your pesto recipe with the same amount of almonds. If you want to freshen things up and go for a different taste, try a mint–almond pesto made with lemon juice.

Try Other Nuts or Even Seeds in Place of Pine Nuts

Pistachios, almonds, and walnuts or even seeds like sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin can replace the traditional pine nuts in pesto. Pretty much any edible nut tastes delicious—just make sure to toast and cool the nut before grinding them into the sauce.

Like pine nuts, cashews have a creamy texture and mild flavor. When toasted, these nuts can mimic some of the richness of pine nuts and they also work very well in pesto or sauces too.

While we love a classic pesto studded with pine nuts, these typically pricey nuts aren't required to make the delicious sauce. Here, eleven terrific recipes that use alternative nuts (or even no nuts at all!), including aromatic mint pesto and autumnal sage-walnut pesto.