• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Bites of Wellness
  • Recipes by Course
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Soup
    • Salad
  • Recipes by Diet
    • gluten free
    • dairy free
    • low carb
    • high protein
    • low fat
    • vegan
    • vegetarian
    • paleo
    • whole30
  • Kitchen Essentials
  • Free Resources
  • Work With Me
    • About
    • Contact
Home / Recipes / Side Dish / Arugula Cashew Vegan Pesto (Whole30, Low Carb)

Arugula Cashew Vegan Pesto (Whole30, Low Carb)

Published September 18, 2017. Last updated January 10, 2021 by Samantha Rowland

Close up on a bowl of arugula cashew vegan pesto with pinterest text on the bottom
Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganWhole30PaleoLow Carb

This creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto is going to be your new favorite sauce to put on everything! Zoodles, sandwiches, chicken, fish or tofu, this creamy dairy free vegan pesto is a way to brighten any meal! It’s paleo, Whole30 approved, gluten free, grain free, dairy free and low carb! It’s also packed full of nutrition!

5 from 4 votes
  • Facebook
Jump to Recipe

creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto piled high in a bowl

What to serve arugula pesto with?

During the summer I make pesto every single week. There is nothing better than that bright flavor from the basil on top of zoodles with 7 minutes salmon or grilled shrimp for a quick, healthy meal!

In the winter I love to have pesto on gluten free high protein pasta to bring brightness into the cold winter! This pesto is also great in vegan minestrone soup!

creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto piled high in a bowl

get my 10 greatest recipes ebook by signing up for my newsletter

GET 10 OF MY ALL TIME GREATEST RECIPES
IN THIS FREE EBOOK

Sometimes it’s nice to have those summer flavors even in the middle of fall and winter! And this arugula cashew vegan pesto is perfect for that! It’s easy to make, is simple enough for meal prep and it holds up well in the refrigerator for a few days. Did I mention it’s packed with veggies and perfect to dip your roasted cauliflower in!

creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto piled high in a bowl

This dairy free vegan pesto is perfect to stir into soups, have on cauliflower rice, or used to make pesto avocado tuna wraps or in paleo artichoke pesto hummus for a perfect paleo lunch any time of the year, so make sure to always have a jar of it on hand, no matter what time of year it is!

What do you need to make pesto at home

To make this pesto, all you need is a food processor or a high powered blender! I use raw unsalted cashews in this recipe, but you could also use hemp hearts, walnuts or pine nuts to achieve a similar texture! I used Roasted Garlic Oil in this recipe to give it flavor, instead of raw garlic. The roasted garlic oil is a bit more mellow and goes well with the peppery flavor from the arugula! If you don’t have the roasted garlic olive oil, you can use 1 clove fresh garlic and 1 tbs. olive oil or avocado oil.

creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto piled high in a bowl

Everything you need to make this recipe:

  • Cuisinart Food Processor
  • Roasted Garlic Olive Oil
  • Raw unsalted cashews 
  • I used almost an entire bag of arugula in this recipe because I think everything is better with more veggies in it! If you don’t love arugula or don’t have it on hand, you could also use baby spinach!

creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto piled high in a bowl

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto piled high in a bowl

Arugula Cashew Vegan Pesto

This creamy arugula cashew vegan pesto is the perfect dairy free, Whole30, paleo way to flavor any dish! This simple recipe is packed with flavor
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment, Snack
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: arugula pesto, cashew arugula pesto
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4
Author: Samantha Rowland

Recipe Video

Ingredients

  • 1 container organic basil
  • 3 cups organic arugula - or baby spinach
  • 1 lemon - juiced
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder - or 1-2 cloves garlic
  • ½ -1 tsp. salt
  • 3-4 tbs. water

Instructions

  • In a large food processor, combine basil, 1 ½ cups arugula, lemon, olive oil, cashews and ½ tsp. of salt, garlic powder with 3 tbsp. of water and process until smooth (you may need to stop this once to scrape down the sides).
  • Add the remaining arugula and process until smooth. If you find that you need more liquid, add the additional tbsp. of water. Once you have the consistency you desire, taste for salt. Add up to an additional ½ tsp. of salt depending on your preference. Be sure to blend well.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge.

You'll Also Love These Amazing Recipes

  • Overhead shot of a bowl filled with pea pesto with peas and basil leaves around the bowl
  • White plate filled with sesame Asian low carb noodles with chopsticks picking up the noodles, bringing the noodles into focus with green onions in the background
  • Bowl filled with pesto artichoke hummus.
  • This whole30 Mexican cauliflower rice is the perfect side dish for your Mexican style meals! Paleo, vegan, grain free and ready in 10 minutes! Perfect for meal prep as well! | #whole30 #vegan #paleo #mexcian | bitesofwellness.com

Notes

Substitutions:
  • Arugula: You can also use baby spinach or baby kale. 
  • Cashews: You can use any nut or seed in place of cashews. You can use almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds would all be great here. 
  • Garlic powder: I prefer garlic powder over fresh garlic in pesto so that the flavor is not overwhelmed by garlic. You can also use 1-2 cloves fresh garlic (grated or minced). 
Storage:
  • Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 week. 
  • Freezer: Freeze pesto in ice cube trays in individual servings. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
138
Fat
 
11
g
Carbohydrates
 
8
g
Fiber
 
2
g
Sugar
 
1
g
Protein
 
4
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Share a pic on Instagram @bites_of_wellness or tag #bitesofwellness

SHOP MY FAVORITE FAST MEAL MUST-HAVES

Use the buttons below to buy my must-have fast meal basics and don't forget to visit my Amazon Shop!

A fast meal recommendation for an Immersion Blender (Amazon Affiliate Link)
A fast meal recommendation for an Instant Pot (Amazon Affiliate Link)
A fast meal recommendation for a silicone baking mat (Amazon Affiliate Link)
A fast meal recommendation for a Ninja Blender (Amazon Affiliate Link)

What about you?

  • What is your favorite way to enjoy pesto?
  • Have you ever added pesto to your burgers for more flavor?
  • What summer flavors do you crave in the fall/winter?

 

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. Please note I only recommend products that I personally use and trust. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.
  • Facebook

SHARE THIS POST!

If you liked this post, share it with your friends and family!

  • Facebook
Previous Post: « Double Chocolate Banana Protein Energy Bites
Next Post: 20 Minute Upper Body Dumbbell AMRAP Workout »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jay Grant

    June 13, 2019 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    What is a contain of basil? why not give it in weight, same for arugula?

    Reply
    • Samantha Rowland

      November 26, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      Hey there Jay! It’s a 2.5 oz. carton of basil!

      Reply
  2. Miz Helen

    September 25, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    5 stars
    What a great pesto, I love the combination. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
  3. Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook

    September 23, 2017 at 12:21 am

    Love the addition of cashews. Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing and happy Fiesta Friday!

    Reply
  4. Shinta Simon

    September 22, 2017 at 12:13 pm

    5 stars
    What a good idea! I must try making more variations of pesto, which sadly haven’t made it beyond basil-pine-nuts- parmesan in my kitchen. Thanks for sharing with us at FF!

    Reply
  5. Becca

    September 22, 2017 at 9:19 am

    YUM! looks great! I typically do a walnut basil pesto, but I bet this would be a bit lighter

    Reply
  6. Julie @ Running in a Skirt

    September 19, 2017 at 7:12 am

    5 stars
    This looks so tasty! I’ve never thought of doing arugula in pesto before. I need to make this.

    Reply
  7. Annmarie

    September 18, 2017 at 9:01 am

    I LOVE arugula! This looks SO GOOD!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Browse By Course

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Dessert Sides Snacks Soup Salad All Recipes

Browse By Diet

    Gluten FreeDairy FreeVeganWhole30PaleoKetoHigh ProteinLow CarbQuickVegetarian

Sam at Bites of Wellness

Hi, I’m Samantha. A personal trainer and nutrition coach. I’m here to help you get a healthy meal on the table in under 30 minutes. Learn More About Me →

Whole30 Favorites

Spoon in a jar of cilantro chimichurri sauce.

Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce (Whole30, Vegan)

Cast iron skillet filled with sun dried tomato shrimp.

Sun Dried Tomato Shrimp (Whole30 + Keto)

Wooden scoop in a bowl of whole30 taco seasoning

Whole30 Taco Seasoning (low FODMAP)

Air fryer basket full of delicata squash fries.

Air Fryer Delicata Squash

Spaghetti squash halves on a white plate after cooking.

Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash

Vegan roasted red pepper sauce in a glass jar.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Vegan + Whole30)

Most Popular Recipes

Overhead shot of bowl of best ever mushroom soup with a wooden handled spoon in the bowl on the left side of the bowl. Fresh mushrooms and thyme leaves surround the bowl and there is a grey striped napkin to the left of the bowl

Best Ever Mushroom Soup

Spoon full of broccoli cheese soup over a bowl.

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

White Bean Mushroom Soup in a green and orange bowl with creamy mushrooms on the top, a red and orange napkin and a golden spoon next to the bowl

Best Ever White Bean Mushroom Soup

Bowl of protein puppy chow with a silver spoon scooping some out of the bowl.

Protein Puppy Chow (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Bowl of baked balsamic tofu with a spoon of Italian seasoning below.

Balsamic Tofu

Protein hot chocolate topped with whipped cream in a white mug.

Simple Healthy Protein Hot Chocolate (Dairy-Free)

Footer

Featured On

Bites of Wellness has been featured on countryliving.Bites of Wellness has been featured on buzzfeed.Bites of Wellness has been featured on women's health.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Boston Magazine.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Well and Good.Bites of Wellness has been featured on SHAPE.Bites of Wellness has been featured on PureWow.Bites of Wellness has been featured on PARADE.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Huffington Post.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Greatist.Bites of Wellness has been featured on Eat This Not That.

Recipes by Diet

  • Gluten Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Vegan
  • Paleo
  • Whole30
  • Low Carb
  • High Protein
  • Low Fat
  • Keto

Recipes by Course

  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
  • Side Dish
  • Dessert
  • Snacks
  • Salad
  • Quick

Free Resources

  • Free Resources
  • Kitchen Essentials

Contact & Privacy

  • Work With Me
  • Contact
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Me On Social!

© Copyright 2021 Bites of Wellness