Alpha Gal Friendly Cilantro-Lime Spinach Cashew Pesto
Bright, herby, and packed with bold citrus flavor, this cashew-based pesto is the kind of sauce that makes everything it touches taste more alive. Cilantro and baby spinach form a vivid green base, while raw cashews bring a creamy, nutty richness that holds the whole thing together without any dairy in sight. A generous hit of fresh lime juice and zest keeps it lively and sharp, and a whisper of cumin adds just enough warmth to make it feel complex. For anyone navigating alpha-gal syndrome, traditional pesto can be a minefield of hidden mammalian-derived ingredients, but every single component here is plant-based and straightforward. The food processor does all the heavy lifting — a few pulses, a slow drizzle of olive oil, and you have a thick, spoonable sauce ready to go. Use it tossed through pasta, spread on flatbread, spooned over roasted vegetables, or stirred into grain bowls for an instant upgrade. It's the kind of versatile, make-ahead sauce that earns a permanent spot in your weekly rotation.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- 1 cup baby spinach, loosely packed
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- ½ tsp lime zest
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp ground cumin (optional)
- 2–3 tbsp water, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Add the cilantro, spinach, cashews, garlic, lime juice, and lime zest to a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the cashews are broken down into small pieces.
- 2
With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream until the pesto comes together into a thick, slightly textured paste, about 20–30 seconds. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
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