Nitrate & Nitrite Free Cilantro-Lime Spinach Cashew Pesto
This vibrant green pesto is bright, herby, and a little unexpected — cilantro and baby spinach team up with creamy raw cashews to create a sauce that's rich without being heavy. A generous hit of fresh lime juice and zest keeps everything lively, while a touch of cumin adds just enough warmth to make it interesting. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in minutes, which means you get a gorgeous, restaurant-worthy condiment with almost no effort. Every ingredient here is whole and clean — no cured meats, no processed additives, just fresh produce, nuts, and good olive oil — so it fits naturally into a lifestyle that avoids preserved-meat preservatives without any workarounds or substitutions required. Spoon it over grilled chicken or fish, toss it with pasta, swirl it into grain bowls, or use it as a dip for warm flatbread. The water adjustment at the end is a small but smart trick that lets you dial in the texture from a thick spread to a pourable drizzle depending on how you plan to use it. Make a batch on Sunday and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week.
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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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