Thai Basil Pesto (Printable Version)

Vibrant Thai basil blended with cashews, garlic, and lime for a peppery, aromatic sauce ready in minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Herbs & Greens

01 - 2 cups packed Thai basil leaves, stems removed
02 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

→ Nuts & Seeds

03 - 1/3 cup unsalted roasted cashews

→ Aromatics & Flavorings

04 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
05 - 1 small Thai green chili, seeds removed
06 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
07 - 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Liquids

09 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

→ Seasonings

11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Place Thai basil, cilantro, cashews, garlic, chili, lime juice, Parmesan, and sugar in a food processor or blender.
02 - Pulse several times until ingredients are coarsely chopped and well combined.
03 - With machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and sesame oil, blending until smooth but slightly textured paste forms.
04 - Add salt and black pepper, blending briefly to incorporate.
05 - Taste and adjust lime juice, salt, or sugar as needed for balanced flavor.
06 - Transfer to airtight container. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 5 days.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The peppery kick of Thai basil makes regular pesto taste shy in comparison
  • It comes together in literally ten minutes but tastes like something you labored over
  • You can put it on everything from noodles to grilled chicken to morning eggs
02 -
  • The pesto will darken as it sits, especially where it's exposed to air, but that doesn't mean it's gone bad
  • Freezing it in ice cube trays changed my life, now I always have portions ready to toss into soups or thaw for quick weeknight dinners
  • Thai basil can be harder to find than regular basil, so I grab several bunches when I spot it at the market and make a big batch to freeze
03 -
  • Toasting your cashews or peanuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes before adding them to the processor makes a huge difference in depth of flavor
  • If your pesto tastes too bitter, try blanching the basil for 10 seconds in boiling water then shocking it in ice water before processing

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