Cilantro Pesto

Cilantro pesto with cashews, lime juice and sesame oil incorporates Asian-inspired flavors in a traditional recipe. It’s a versatile sauce for noodles, grilled meats and vegetables, and more.

I try not to waste food as much as possible. I’ve invested in cotton produce bags that have truly extended the lifespan of all my vegetable purchases, stick to my monthly meal plan so I’m not buying more than I need, and generally try to keep ahead of what’s in the fridge.

But even in a family of two cilantro lovers, every now and again a bunch of fresh cilantro wilts and goes bad faster than I can use it up.

Sure, I compost it, but wouldn’t it be great not to leave half a bundle of flavorful herbs for the groundhogs?

One solution is to make cilantro pesto, a versatile sauce that’s bound to become a staple in your fridge like it is in mine.

Instead of the typical Italian pesto, this version takes more of a Thai or Vietnamese spin. After all, “pesto” simply translates to “pounded” or “crushed,” so let’s apply that idea more broadly.

This is also my way of getting around the fact that basil can be so pricey in the winter, and is often disappointingly withered in its little plastic clamshell packaging.

The Pesto Formula

This cilantro pesto is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to creating pesto sauce varieties with what you have on hand. Here’s my basic formula for ingredients to include. Mix, match, adjust quantities, and get experimental.

• Herbs or greens: Basil is the most well-known base for pesto, but I have made it with almost any leafy green under the sun. Kale, arugula, parsley, and spinach are fantastic.
• Nuts or seeds: Fun fact: pine nuts are not tree nuts, but the seeds of the pine tree! This is good news for my husband, who is allergic to tree nuts. But walnuts, cashews, and pistachios are fun to use on the nut front. Or try pepitas or sunflower seeds.
• Aromatics: Garlic is the de facto choice, but if you’re allergic to garlic, you can substitute shallot or green onions. I’m adding ginger here for cilantro pesto.
• Salt and pepper: A base seasoning is always a good idea. If you’re adding cheese (or fish sauce, as I am here), you won’t need as much salt.
• Oil: You need a binder to keep all the ingredients together. Extra virgin olive oil brings its own signature grassy flavor to the party, but as you can see, I’ll use sesame oil here for a nutty taste. Avocado oil, walnut oil, and pumpkin seed oil also have their own flavors.
• Optional additional flavors: Hard cheeses like Parmesan and Pecorino are classic for Italian pestos, but sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and other strongly flavored elements can beef up your pesto too.

How to Use Cilantro Pesto

I love using this cilantro pesto as a cold sauce for thick udon noodles, but it has so many possible applications.

Serve with noodles, over grain bowls, or as a garnish for soup. Spread it on crusty bread with whipped feta, hummus, or smashed edamame.

Cilantro pesto can also be used as a finishing sauce for grilled or roasted dishes. Chicken, steak, shrimp, tofu, or pork chops would all benefit from a few spoonfuls of this flavorful sauce.

Try it over vegetables as well. It’s great with grilled zucchini, peppers, and corn in the summer, and roasted sweet potatoes, squash, and Brussels sprouts in the winter.

Cilantro Pesto

Yield: about 1 cup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Cilantro pesto with cashews, lime juice and sesame oil incorporates Asian-inspired flavors in a traditional recipe. It's a versatile sauce for noodles, grilled meats and vegetables, and more.

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Ingredients

• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/4 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced in half or quarters
• 1 3/4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1 large lime)
• 1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
• kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse and dry the cilantro well, then chop off the tough stem ends.
2. Add the cilantro, cashews, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and lime juice to the bowl of a food processor.
3. Pulse a few times to chop the ingredients coarsely, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Run the food processor while you drizzle in the oil through the feed tube.
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse as needed to mix in the ingredients.
6. Taste and add salt as desired.

Notes

If you are allergic to tree nuts, you can substitute roasted pepitas or sunflower seeds in this pesto. For sunflower seeds, adjust the quantity as desired—only 2 or 3 tablespoons may be necessary to give you the texture you like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 246mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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