This easy cilantro pesto is perfect for topping tacos, fish, chicken, and more!
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Ahhhh, cilantro.
I love a good ol’ basil pesto as much as the next gal, but when spring and summer produce is in full swing I love to mix it up and make pesto out of just about everything.
And this cilantro pesto? It’s almost always summer pesto priority number ONE.
Pesto is simple – you really don’t even need a recipe (but I’ll give you one anyway, because we’re internet BFFs!)
While pine nuts are a traditional addition to classic pesto, my version is nut-free. You can certainly add nuts if you like here – the recipe notes will walk you through it – but I honestly don’t miss the flavor at all.
Plus, a simpler ingredient list means the cilantro can really shine through.
Like any pesto, you can use this in a variety of ways – as a sauce on pasta, a topping for grilled chicken or fish, as part of a dressing or marinade, you name it!
Cilantro Pesto
- Yield: Makes about 1 cup 1x
Description
An easy nut-free cilantro pesto perfect for summer.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (you may not need it all – I generally use about 1/4 cup or so)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine cilantro, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse to give everything a rough chop.
- With the food processor running, stream in olive oil a tablespoon at a time until pesto has come together. You may not need all of the olive oil – stream it in until your pesto is the consistency you want, and feel free to add additional oil if you want a thinner sauce!
- Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Use this pesto in Breakfast Bruschetta, Caprese Pasta Salad, Mac and Cheese, or anywhere else you’d use traditional basil pesto!
If you’d like to include nuts in your pesto, add 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.
This pesto freezes well. Freeze it in airtight containers (I like small mason jars) or in ice cube trays and then transfer the ice cubes to airtight containers for freezer storage.
Use this pesto on pasta, chicken, fish, salads, you name it!
This is the basic pesto formula I use for just about everything! Swap the cilantro for basil, parsley, pea shoots, assorted herbs, kale, arugula, or garlic scapes.
Strict vegetarians can look for parmesan cheese made without animal rennet.
How to Use Your Cilantro Pesto:
Pea and Pesto Tortellini
Pesto Cavatappi with Mushrooms and Tomatoes
Breakfast Bruschetta
Pesto Crusted Mahi Mahi
Pesto Chicken Orzo Soup
I just found your website and love it! Your pesto looks great, and I love Renee’s idea of trying cashews in it. (Seems you have an abundance of Renée’s reading your site!) You might also like this recipe for Cilantro-Lime Dressing on my site – http://www.whats4dinnermama.com/cilantro-lime-dressing/. I will be checking back frequently!
huge cilantro fan- def want to make these!
The cilantro yogurt sauce is about to become my go-to salad dressing! Love cilantro and love greek yogurt! I think the only Mexican restaurant within 20 miles of me uses a thinner version of this for their taco salad dressing, and I sometimes crave it in my dreams, lol.
Thanks! I’ve started putting this pesto and yogurt sauce on everything – I like it on chicken or fish, but I also loooooove the yogurt sauce over a good chicken chopped salad with lots of veggies.
I just made the cilantro yogurt sauce, and it was fantastic! My husband loved it. Definitely exactly what I was craving. Thanks so much!
It won’t let me edit my comment, but I just wanted to add that I left out the parmesan and used cashews instead of pine nuts, only because it’s late here and I was out of both. I topped oven-blackened tilapia with this delicious sauce. I can’t wait to try the pesto by itself when I’ve got some pine nuts and parmesan on hand.
Thanks for letting me know how it turned out! I’m glad you liked it – I love the idea of using cashews! I’m going to have to try that next time I make fish 🙂
Looks awesome! I love cilantro too!