There is this restaurant in Charlotte called Cowfish, and it is one of my top three favorite restaurants that I have ever eaten at EVER. It is soooo so so so soooooooo SO good.
The point of the restaurant is the fusion between burgers and sushi – hence the name…Cowfish.
So aaaanyway, there is this one burgushi (their sushi/burger combo rolls) called the Taste Explosion that has this cilantro cashew pesto spread over the top. And it is pretty much the best part of the roll – we always ask for extra.
So I decided to recreate this delicious pesto for the blog!
It’s a super easy recipe and tastes just like the real stuff.
I may or may not have eaten several spoon fulls.
And by several I mean 8.
Don’t worry – when you make this and have 8 spoon fulls I won’t judge you either ;).
This pesto is so bright and fresh! I was skeptical that it would be WAY overpowering with all the cilantro, but surprisingly that flavor is pretty mellow. You taste cilantro but you definitely don’t just taste cilantro. It’s the perfect balance of flavors!
Did I mention how easy this is? Yes. I did. But I am going to mention it again.
All you do is throw some stuff in the food processor and vrrmmmm (my food processor noise…) – it’s all done!
And theeennn……..
Pesto!
You’ll love it, I promise.
On a completely non-pesto-related note, Seth and I got the house!
We were so excited! It’s definitely a teeny tiny baby house, but we’re fine with that. We are just so grateful to actually have a place of our own! And a yard for little Boonie.
We are officially leaving Georgia on June 9th.
Have I started packing yet? No. No I have not. Shhh……..
Instead I’ve been distracting myself with this delicious, gorgeous pesto :).
By the way, I recreated the Taste Explosion roll that I mentioned earlier (the roll at Cowfish that is the base for this yummy pesto) and will be posting it in the next few days. Restaurant copy cats are so fun!
- 1 cup packed cilantro leaves (about two bunches)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about one lemon)
- ½ cup cashews
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼-1/2 cup water
- Salt to taste
- Add the cilantro, lemon juice, cashews, and garlic into the food processor
- Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil and then the water
- Start with ¼ cup of water. If you want the pesto thinner, add more water until you have achieved the consistency you prefer
- Season with salt and pulse a few more times to combine
- Taste and add any extra seasoning!
*Gluten free and vegan*
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!
In the mood for more yummy condiments? Check these out!
tracy says
June 8, 2018 at 1:26 pmMade this for a sauce over some air fried tofu Very tasty Thanks!
Annie Chesson says
June 11, 2018 at 12:38 pmThat sounds like a delicious use! So glad you liked it!
Ron says
May 17, 2018 at 3:37 pmI made it! good stuff. I used sriracha flavoured cashews and extra garlic
Annie Chesson says
May 18, 2018 at 11:06 amYum! So glad you liked it!
Krista says
March 22, 2018 at 7:27 pmYum! Used this as a pizza sauce on a low carb crust with mozzarella cheese and chicken, coated in the pesto too. Make-again good!!!
Annie Chesson says
March 23, 2018 at 4:52 pmOhhh, good idea! Sounds delish :). So glad you liked it!
Mina says
February 16, 2018 at 7:39 pmThis looks and sounds amazing! How long does it last if you store it in the fridge?
Danielle says
January 29, 2018 at 7:42 amI’ve made this pesto a few times now and I really like it! I love finding fun ways to work cilantro into dishes, and this is an amazing option for that. I like to add about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to bring the flavor up another notch.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Annie Chesson says
January 29, 2018 at 10:24 amI’m so glad you liked it, Danielle!!
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness says
June 9, 2015 at 2:43 pmOooh I need to make this! I’ve been loving cashews lately, and I haven’t made pesto in awhile.
Best of luck with your move, and congrats on the house!!! :)
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Annie Chesson says
June 16, 2015 at 8:57 pmYou do need to make it, Nicole! The cashews are so yummy in it!
Alison says
May 30, 2015 at 11:16 amCongratulations on the house!! This pesto looks delicious! I love how vibrant the colors are. I recently made these awesome Greek meatballs (which I’ll be sharing next week on the blog), but this pesto would be perfect to dip them in! Can’t wait to hear more about the house!
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 3:49 pmThanks, Alison! This would be a perfect dip for the meatballs :). You should try it!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
May 29, 2015 at 4:31 pmAnnie, this is so creative! Even if it’s a restaurant copy cat! I have totally been to Cowfish, but haven’t tried this pesto burger. CONGRATULATIONS on getting the house!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks recently posted…CONTEST – Name this Cocktail
Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:39 amThanks, Rachelle! Yeeesss a fellow Cowfish-er!! You need to get it next time you go. Or the Marx roll. That’s a sushi roll and probably the best I’ve ever had anywhere.
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
May 29, 2015 at 2:32 pmDelicious! And such a pretty color!
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:38 amThanks, Natalie! Beautiful color – it was fun to photograph!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
May 29, 2015 at 1:13 pmGlorious! I love the name of that restaurant, too.
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:37 amI know! It’s weird name but it’s funny!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat says
May 29, 2015 at 12:51 pmThis looks really nice Annie! The cilantro is kinda a cool mixup on pesto!
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:37 amThanks, Shelby!
Annie @ ciaochowbambina says
May 29, 2015 at 10:35 amI am a huge pesto fan but I’ve never made it with cashews! Love this idea!!
Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:37 amI hadn’t either, Annie – but it is delicious!
Sues says
May 29, 2015 at 9:57 amI would most definitely eat this with a spoon, too!! Is pesto soup a thing?? Yum!
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:36 amHaha we will make it a thing!!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
May 29, 2015 at 9:37 amI’m a big fan of pesto in general, but I don’t think I am experimental enough with it. Someone suggested pistachio pesto to me today, so that and your recipe is next on my pesto list.
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:36 amI don’t experiment enough with it either – this is actually my first go at a non basil based pesto. But they are so fun and easy to experiment with! I definitely plan on doing more of it in the future.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
May 29, 2015 at 8:09 amI’m a total pesto fanatic, so this looks incredible! I’ve never had one made with cilantro before, so I bet this is so delicious!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…20+ Strawberry Recipes
Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:35 amMe too, Gayle! You need to try it!!
Caitlin @ teaspoon says
May 29, 2015 at 5:37 amI want to go to this restaurant that combines two of my favorite things immediately! A weird name, but now I get it :) This pesto looks awesome. Anything with cilantro is fine by me. Congrats on the new house! So Exciting!
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:35 amI know! It’s so awesome! It is a super weird name haha, but it makes sense. Thanks, Caitlin!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
May 29, 2015 at 4:56 amYay, congrats on getting the house! So exciting!
This pesto looks amazing! I can’t get enough of homemade pesto during the summer with my garden basil but I’m loving this cilantro and cashew combo! I can’t wait to try this!
Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:33 amThanks, Kelly! I think you’ll love it :).
Keri @ Fashionable Foods says
May 28, 2015 at 5:18 pmThat restaurant sounds so fun! This pesto looks so pretty and fresh – I so wish I liked cilantro. I’m not giving up, though so maybe this pesto will convince my taste buds that I like cilantro! Congrats on the house and good luck with moving! There’s a pretty big chance we will be moving next month and I’m already dreading the thought of packing and unpacking.
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Annie Chesson says
May 30, 2015 at 9:32 amIt is such a fun restaurant! I would recommend this recipe to a cilantro hater for sure – there are so many other flavors going on in there and the cilantro is pretty mild! Ugh…packing. At least unpacking is satisfying because you are setting up your new home. But the packing and moving is the worst! Good luck to you too, Keri!!
Savita @ ChefDeHome says
May 28, 2015 at 5:10 pmAnnie, this pesto looks so delicious! Perfect for a lite pasta dinner! loving it!
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Annie Chesson says
May 28, 2015 at 9:21 pmThanks, Savita!!