Trader Joe's Kale Pesto Copycat (Vegan Kale Cashew Basil Pesto)
A copycat of Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto: kale, basil, cashews, garlic, lemon, and olive oil blended into a bright, creamy, dairy-free pesto in 10 minutes.
Equipment
- Food processor or high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups kale leaves packed, stems removed (lacinato or curly)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves packed
- ¼ cup cashews raw or roasted, or 2 tablespoon cashew butter
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 2 to 4 tablespoon water to thin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast optional
Instructions
- Prep the greens: Wash and thoroughly dry the kale and basil. Strip the kale from the stems and roughly chop.
- Blend the base: Add the kale, basil, cashews, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides.
- Add oil and lemon: With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil and lemon juice.
- Adjust texture: Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and spoonable.
- Season and serve: Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or garlic. Blend in vegan parmesan if using. Toss with pasta, spread on sandwiches, or drizzle over veggies.
Notes
Nut-free: Swap the cashews for hemp seeds or sunflower seeds.
Smoother kale: Blanch the kale for 30 seconds and squeeze dry before blending.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight jar up to 5 days with a thin layer of olive oil on top, or freeze in an ice cube tray up to 3 months.
For pasta: 1 batch coats about 8 oz pasta. Add a splash of pasta water when tossing.