Cilantro Pesto
This fresh and vibrant Cilantro Pesto can be tossed with pasta or rice to added flavor, used as a condiment for steaks, chicken, salads and tacos, or mixed with mayonnaise to top a spicy burger.
Easy Cilantro Pesto Recipes
Fresh pesto not only adds color, but it adds another level of flavor to a dish. Paella, a traditional Spanish dish, is often served with a parsley or cilantro pesto on the side. It’s quite versatile, and can be used as a condiment on steak just like chimichurri, and works equally well on chicken, pork and fish. See helpful tips for grilling fish here on Food Network.
- Toast Nuts – Spread nuts on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast in a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes then set aside to cool.
- Combine – Place cilantro, olive oil, sweet onion, green onions, grated parmesan cheese, toasted almonds or pine nuts, jalapeno pepper, lime juice and salt into a food processor and process until blended.
- To thin the pesto, add more olive oil until you reach your desired consistency.
- Chill until serving.
How to Make the BEST Cilantro Pesto Recipe
Cilantro is one of those herbs, that people seem to love or hate. We’re in the love category at our house. I think the reason we love it, is it often accompanies some of our favorite cuisines. You’ll find it used generously in Indian, Mexican, Spanish and Asian cuisines in a variety of dishes.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Cilantro Pesto: Cilantro cleaned, stems removed, olive oil, sweet onion, green onions, grated parmesan cheese, toasted almonds or pine nuts, fresh jalapeno pepper seeds and membrane removed, lime juice and salt.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Food processor, sheet pan, measuring cups and spoons, sharp knife and cutting board.
- It’s worth the small amount of effort it tiakes to toast the nuts for the flavor it gives to the pesto overall. Don’t skip it.
- It’s fine if some of the stem is present. Cilantro stems aren’t as bitter as classic flat leaf parsley and won’t adversely affect the flavor.
- Store Cilantro Pesto chilled in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Serve as a condiment, as an appetizer or on steaks, chicken and pork or seafood.
More Sauces and Condiments to Make
- My recipe for Copycat Chick Fil A Sauce is simple to make using pantry staples.
- Homemade Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce is the perfect option for dressing pork, chicken. kabobs, brisket and beyond.
- My Special Burger Sauce is another copycat recipe you can make at home.
- Homemade Cocktail Sauce for your next back of peel and eat shrimp.
- The best ever Ranchero Sauce recipe.
- Southern Comeback Sauce is delicious for dipping seafood, chicken, vegetables and more.
- Japanese Steakhouse Yum Yum Sauce.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup toasted almonds or pine nuts
- 1 small bunch cilantro cleaned, stems removed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup sweet onion chopped
- 2 medium green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 medium fresh jalapeno pepper seeds and membrane removed
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Spread nuts on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast in a preheated 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes then set aside to cool.
- Place cilantro, olive oil, sweet onion, green onions, grated parmesan cheese, toasted almonds or pine nuts, jalapeno pepper, lime juice and salt into a food processor and process until blended.
- To thin the pesto, add more olive oil until you reach your desired consistency.
- Chill until serving.
Nutrition
how long will this keep in the frig.?
In an airtight container up to 3 days.
Can you freeze these into cubes and then defrost for later use?
Absolutely, yes.