Arugula Cashew Vegan Pesto (Whole30, Low 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!

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! But in the winter, I seem to forget all about pesto because it’s so hard to find a dairy free vegan pesto in a jar (which makes me so sad by the way).

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!

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!

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 Grapeseed Oil (affiliate link) in this recipe to give it flavor, instead of raw garlic. The roasted garlic 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.

Everything you need to make this recipe:

Cuisinart Food Processor this is the one I use! (affiliate link)

Roasted Garlic Olive Oil (affiliate link)

Raw unsalted cashews (affiliate link)

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!

Check out just how easy this pesto is to make in the video below!

5 from 3 votes

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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

Course Condiment, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 138 kcal

Author Bites of Wellness

Ingredients

• 1 container organic basil
• 3 cups organic arugula or baby spinach
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 tbs. roasted garlic olive oil or 1 clove garlic + 1 tbs. olive oil
• ½ cup raw cashews
• ½ -1 tsp. salt
• 3-4 tbs. water

Instructions

1. In a large food processor, combine basil, 1 ½ cups arugula, lemon, roasted garlic olive oil, cashews and ½ tsp. of salt with 3 tbs. of water and process until smooth (you may need to stop this once to scrape down the sides).

2. Add the remaining arugula and process until smooth. If you find that you need more liquid, add the additional tbs. 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.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Arugula Cashew Vegan Pesto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 138 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium -230mg -10%

Potassium 292mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 8g 3%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 1g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 40.6%

Vitamin C 29.6%

Calcium 9.5%

Iron 13.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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?