Dairy-Free Basil Cashew Pesto: Savory Sauces

1. In a food processor, combine the basil leaves, garlic, cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and sea salt, pulsing until finely chopped.

2. With the machine still running, drizzle the olive oil in a steady stream until the pesto reaches the desired consistency (read head note).

3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Store pesto in a covered dish in the refrigerator until ready to use. Pesto will keep for two to three days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cook's Note:

• Feel free to use other fresh herbs in place of all of part of the basil; cilantro is a personal favorite, and sometimes even a little parsley adds a nice kick to this pesto. Likewise, feel free to substitute other nuts for all or part of the cashews: Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts are out-of-the-ordinary, rich substitutions, and traditional cooks can always opt to use pine nuts. Have fun and make it your own!

Ways to Use Basil-Cashew Pesto:

• Use Basil-Cashew Pesto in any one of these tasty vegan recipes:
• Baked Tofu With Pesto Recipe
• Pesto and Macaroni
• Pesto and Pasta
• Vegan Pesto Flatbreads
• Spread Basil-Cashew Pesto on veggie sandwiches to add extra savor and flavor.
• Instead of using a red sauce or white sauce on your next Vegan Pizza or Gluten-Free Pizza, use Basil-Cashew Pesto.
• Toss Basil-Cashew Pesto with cooked pasta and serve warm as an entrée or cold as a pasta salad.
• Toss cooked carrots, roasted butternut squash, roasted baby potatoes or other starches with Basil-Cashew pesto.

****This recipe is suitable for dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan diets, but as with any recipe intended for persons with allergies or dietary restrictions, make sure to read all nutritional labels carefully to make sure that there are no hidden dairy-derived ingredients (or other allergens, if these apply to you).