Move over basil – there’s a new pesto in town! One taste of this oil-free vegan cilantro pesto, and trust me, you’ll forget all about that other herb. Made with rich cashews, you’ll never miss the oil or dairy! And with only 5 wholesome ingredients and 5 quick minutes, you can be eating this delicious dip in no time.
Many people have an aversion to this humble little herb. In fact, I, myself, was one of those poor, sad people for most of my life. But one day I decided I wanted to be the kind of person who liked cilantro. So I started some exposure therapy. Little by little, I learned to love cilantro as much as the next cilantro-loving gal. Why am I sharing this with you? Because if you consider yourself a cilantro hater, as I once did, you can still love this pesto – in fact, it might just be your gateway dip to all things cilantro. My husband, who has also been undergoing cilantro exposure therapy over the course of our marriage, has not come around to cilantro quite as much as I have, but even he absolutely adores this pesto!
One thing I love about it is how incredibly versatile it is. Is it a dip? Is it a spread? Is it a sauce? Or a salad dressing? HOW ABOUT ALL OF THE ABOVE, LISA? And you can enjoy it with Mexican food just as much as with Indian food, Thai food, or any random fusion you can come up with. You can put this on your tacos Monday night, then have it with your curry Tuesday night, then dip your spring rolls in it Wednesday night, then use it as a pizza sauce Thursday night…. Come to think of it, you’re gonna wanna multiply this recipe by three, four, or a million for all these mouthwatering ideas! And multiplying is a pretty great idea, considering this pesto freezes beautifully. I often freeze in one-cup containers and take out a cup as needed.
Wondering why this recipe has no oil (aside from the fact that it’s totally incredible without it)? Check out my FAQ and Resources pages for answers to this and all your plant-based queries.
Ingredients
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Fresh cilantro – for that herby punch
Raw cashews – for cheesy creaminess
Fresh garlic – for a little zing
Fresh squeezed lemon juice – for tartness and brightness
Salt – to enhance the natural flavors
Equipment
(available for purchase* and delivery via links below)
Food processor
Knife
Cutting board
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Instructions
First make sure your cilantro is nice and clean. Then rip it up a little and throw it into your food processor – stems and all! Add all your other ingredients. When you squeeze your lemon juice into the food processor, make sure you really milk that baby for all it’s worth and get every last drop before discarding. (Note that the remaining juiceless lemon is in the photo below for illustrative purposes only, and you do not blend the whole lemon – only the juice!)
Blend, baby blend! Let your food processor run for at least a minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically if needed in order to ensure even blending. It should be blended well enough that it’s pretty homogenous but still has some nice texture.
Scrape down that bowl so that you get every last bit. Put in your favorite serving dish and enjoy!
It’s creamy, it’s tangy, it’s zesty, and it’s packed with flavor like you would not believe for containing so few ingredients! Plus it is ridiculously fast and easy. So get ready to dip your carrot sticks in it! Spread it on your sandwich! Use it as a sauce for your pasta salad! Put a dollop in your soup! Enjoy it with homemade pita chips or oil-free oven-baked tortilla chips! Oh, the possibilities!
Need some pairing ideas for this pesto of your dreams? Try these:
Oil-Free Oven-Baked Tortilla Chips
Deconstructed Falafel Salad with Grandma’s Harissa
Oil-Free Vegan Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh cilantro
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 heaping cup raw cashews
- 1 large clove garlic
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in the food processor for about one minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically as needed to ensure even blending.
- When the pesto is done, you should have a puree that's pretty homogenous but still has some texture.
- Serve and enjoy!
So easy to make and so delicious! Always a great snack to have in the fridge
Thanks so much!
This recipe is AMAZING! Definitely recommend to anyone!
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed.
This was SO VERY delicious!! Highly recommend
Thanks so much!
It was great Shana!! I used walnuts instead. Added color and brightness and herbiness ❤️I love all these recipes Shana. I love that I feel good making but them bc they are easy and all the fruits and veggies are pretty colors (and I notice the colors of the food so much more), then feel good eating them, and THEN feel good afterwards! Win win win!
I am thrilled you enjoyed it! Yes, isn’t the feeling good afterward one of the best parts?
Just made this and everyone who tasted it was blown away at how delicious it was. So herby and zesty and we couldn’t get enough of it! A great addition to any meal or snack. AND sooo easy to make! Thank you for this.
I am thrilled you enjoyed it! Thank you!
This is an excellent recipe. I love the idea of using cashews instead of oil. As always, thanks for the inspiration salad therapy.
Thank you so much, and you’re welcome! 🙂
Can you make this with the frozen cubes of cilantro?
I’ve never tried it that way. If you were to try it, I’d probably start with about a quarter cup (packed) of defrosted cubes. They contain oil and are much more dense than fresh cilantro, so I’m not sure exactly how it’d turn out, but I’d love to hear your results if you try it!