Walnut Free Cilantro-Lime Spinach Cashew Pesto
Bright, herby, and punchy with citrus, this cashew-based pesto is the kind of sauce that makes everything it touches taste more alive. Cilantro and baby spinach bring a fresh, grassy backbone, while raw cashews step in as the nut of choice — delivering that creamy, rich texture you want from a pesto without any walnut in sight. For anyone navigating tree nut sensitivities around walnuts specifically, cashews are a genuinely satisfying swap that blends up beautifully in a food processor. The lime juice and zest cut through the richness with a bright, almost tropical tang, and a pinch of cumin adds just enough warmth to make this feel like something totally its own. Everything comes together in one bowl of the food processor in just a few quick pulses, so there's minimal cleanup and maximum reward. Toss it with pasta, spoon it over grilled chicken, swirl it into grain bowls, or use it as a dip — this pesto is endlessly versatile and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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