The disclosed process is for the recovery of cephalexin from a mixture containing cephalexin and 7-aminodesacetoxy cephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA), wherein a mixture of cephalexin and 7-ADCA, with a pH higher than 7, which apart from any solid cephalexin being present is homogeneous at a pH between 7 and 8.5, is subjected to a pH modification until a pH lower than 7.8 is reached, and the solid substance is recovered. The disclosed process is particularly suited for application to a reaction mixture obtained after the enzymatic acylation reaction of 7-ADCA with a phenylglycine derivative as an acylation agent. Pure cephalexin can thus be recovered in a simple manner.