Cilantro pesto offers a bright and bold alternative to traditional basil pesto by utilizing a giant bunch of cilantro, including its stems. Blanching the herbs helps maintain their vibrant green color. The recipe incorporates Cotija cheese and pepitas, along with lime juice and optional spicy chiles, enhancing flavor complexity. Thoroughly rinsing the cilantro is crucial to remove sand and dirt. This pesto is versatile, suitable for coating pasta, serving as a condiment for tacos, or transforming into salad dressing or a veggie dip when mixed with sour cream.
Cilantro pesto replaces basil with an abundant bunch of cilantro, which after blanching, maintains a vibrant color and enhances flavor, transforming traditional pesto.
Utilizing Cotija cheese, pepitas for crunch, and lime juice, this recipe introduces spicy elements with jalapeño or serrano chiles, elevating traditional pesto to new heights.
Rinsing cilantro thoroughly is essential to remove sand, by submerging and shaking it in cold water, ensuring clean and ready-to-use ingredients for pesto.
This cilantro pesto not only serves as a pasta coating but also works as a versatile condiment for tacos, toasts, or transformed into a salad dressing.
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