This is one of those creations that doesn’t really know what it is. It’s part dip, part pesto and all delicious. Use this Chunky Rocket, Olive & Cashew Pesto as a dip, scoop it into pasta or spread it on your crackers.
I love a good dip (I mean, if you see how many recipes we have just for hummus, you’ll understand!!) They’re easy to make & if you don’t load them with oil, a great healthy way to add in extra veggies and/or protein to your snacking and meals.
Dips & pestos are also a brilliant way to use up a bunch of herbs that you have lying around.
In my case, I had a very large quantity of rocket (arugula to my US friends) that was growing in my garden that was about to bolt. Once rocket bolts (goes to flower, then seed) it becomes quite tough & bitter, which isn’t ideal. I did let some go to seed last year & loads of little baby rocket plants have popped up all over the garden. (yay! Free food) So I pulled the nearly ready to bolt adult rocket up & made this pesto dip!
So why is it chunky? And why the olives? Well, it’s chunky because I wanted some texture! And the olives add a lovely additional tang & saltiness to the dip & because I love olives. Obviously. If you don’t have any to hand, leave them out. You could also substitute other nuts if you like. Walnuts or pinenuts would be nice. Maybe not peanuts, on the other hand, they might be. If you try it with them, do let us know!
In the meantime, this Rocket, Oliver & Cashew Pesto Dip is super versatile. I know, because the amount of rocket I had made an ENORMOUS batch of it. So I spread it on crackers, put it in a sandwich & even just scooped it up with corn chips. Oh- and obviously, also swirled into some pasta. Because pasta is life.
A super easy and very flavourful dip that can be used like pesto. Smush it onto a sandwich or toss it through pasta.
- 100 g rocket also known as arugula
- 10 pitted green olives
- 50 g cashews raw, unsalted
- 1 tbsp olive oil (a big old drizzle!)
- 1 clove garlic or more if you like it garlicky!
- 25 g nutritional yeast
- Salt to taste
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Pulse all the ingredients, except the olive oil in a food processor or blender. You want the cashews to break up but not be blended smooth.
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Add olive oil bit by bit until the pesto dip is slightly creamy/runny.
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Taste & ad
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Will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Pour a bit of olive oil over the top top prolong it's freshness.
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Use as a dip, in pasta or as a sandwich spread.
Salted Peanut Choc Chunk Cookies. (Gluten Free!)
