Wash and dry the basil leaves thoroughly. Peel the garlic cloves.

In a food processor or blender, combine the basil, cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is well combined and creamy.

Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency — thicker for spreading, thinner for drizzling.

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.