Best 6 Cilantro Walnut Pesto Recipes

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Cilantro walnut pesto is a vibrant and versatile condiment that can elevate the flavors of various dishes. With its nutty texture and herbaceous taste, it's a popular choice for pasta, chicken, fish, and vegetables. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a beginner, making cilantro walnut pesto at home is a rewarding experience. Join us as we explore the best recipes for cilantro walnut pesto, providing step-by-step instructions and helpful tips to ensure you create a delicious and aromatic pesto that will add a burst of freshness to your culinary creations.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CILANTRO WALNUT PESTO



Cilantro Walnut Pesto image

For a light pasta sauce with a pungent herb taste. I made this because cilantro is much cheaper than basil at the grocery store. I served this with a mixture of pasta and cooked spaghetti squash. I didn't measure (I'm bad at that) so keep that in mind and just add amounts that suit your needs.

Provided by Korkin

Categories     Sauces

Time 15m

Yield 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/4 chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Steps:

  • Heat the walnuts in skillet over medium heat to toast. They are done when they smell slightly toasty and nutty.
  • Meanwhile, get to chopping. Start with the garlic then gradually add in the cilantro, cheese, and evenutally the walnuts when toasted. Chop until the mixture is very fine, almost a paste. Add the seasonings, zest and juice and mix.
  • Pour a drizzle of olive oil over the pesto slowly until it is saturated. Taste it and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
  • When serving, reserve 1/4 cup hot cooking liquid and toss in a bowl with the hot pasta or veggies. Do not cook or it will lose a lot of its flavor. Add extra oil and lemon juice or rice vinegar to make it a dressing. A good dressing ratio is 2 parts oil to one part acid.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 557.5, Fat 57.8, SaturatedFat 9.3, Cholesterol 8.8, Sodium 2496, Carbohydrate 7.6, Fiber 1.9, Sugar 0.9, Protein 5.5

BEET SOUP WITH GREENS, APPLE SALAD AND CILANTRO-WALNUT PESTO



Beet Soup With Greens, Apple Salad and Cilantro-Walnut Pesto image

Provided by Molly O'Neill

Categories     lunch, project, soups and stews, main course

Time 2h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

15 medium beets, trimmed; greens reserved
10 cups beef broth (see recipe)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Beet greens (see above), stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and grated
1 1/2 teaspoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups cilantro leaves
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Sour cream

Steps:

  • To make the soup, place beets and broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving broth. When cool enough to handle, slip skins off beets. Set aside 2 beets. Place half of the remaining beets in a food processor. Measure broth and add enough water, if necessary, to make 9 cups. Add half of broth to beets and puree until smooth. Repeat with remaining beets and broth. Combine batches and stir in salt and pepper. Reheat before serving and stir in lemon juice and more salt, if needed.
  • To make the beet greens, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beet greens and saute for 10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water, cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes more. Coarsely grate the reserved beets and stir into the greens with 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Stir in the apple, walnut oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Place the cilantro, walnuts and 1/2 cup of olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Add3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
  • Place the beet green mixture, the apple mixture, the pesto and the sour cream in separate bowls. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve, passing the condiments separately.

DR. WEIL’S ROASTED WINTER SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP WITH WALNUT CILANTRO PESTO



DR. WEIL’S ROASTED WINTER SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP WITH WALNUT CILANTRO PESTO image

Categories     Soup/Stew     Vegetable     Side

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 large winter squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), such as butternut,
buttercup or kabocha; peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tart, firm apples, peeled, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and red chile powder to taste
4 to 5 cups vegetable broth
Cilantro-Walnut Pesto
1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups cilantro leaves, washed, drained and stemmed
1 green jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Steps:

  • 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss the squash, onions, garlic and apples with the oil to coat. Season well with the salt and chile. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until the vegetables are fork tender and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. 2. Put half of the vegetables and 2 cups of the broth in a food processor and purée until smooth. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and broth. Return puréed mixture to the pot. If the soup is too thick, add more broth. Correct the seasoning and heat to a simmer. 3. Serve in warm bowls with dollops of cilantro-walnut pesto. PESTO 1. Put the walnuts in a food processor and grind them fine. 2. Add the cilantro, jalapeño pepper, salt, vinegar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and blend. Blend in a little more water if necessary to make a thick sauce. Taste and correct the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.

CILANTRO WALNUT PESTO



Cilantro Walnut Pesto image

This recipe was adapted from Dr. Andrew Weil's book, "The Healthy Kitchen" (Knopf; 2005).

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Nuts & Seeds

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups cilantro leaves, stems removed
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning if necessary
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup purified water

Steps:

  • Place walnuts in the bowl of a food processor; process until fine. Add cilantro, jalapeno, salt, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of water; blend to make a thick sauce, adding in water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary. Taste, and correct seasoning with salt, if necessary. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

CILANTRO-WALNUT PESTO



CILANTRO-WALNUT PESTO image

Categories     Condiment/Spread     Nut     Side

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup water

Steps:

  • 1. In a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, walnuts, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Process to a paste. Add the water and process to combine. Taste for seasoning. Pour into a serving container.

ROASTED CARROTS WITH CILANTRO-WALNUT PESTO



Roasted Carrots with Cilantro-Walnut Pesto image

Lightly baked and lightly flavored, this carrot dish uses cilantro, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese and basil. -Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound medium carrots, halved lengthwise

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°. Pulse the first 6 ingredients in a small food processor until finely chopped. Continue processing, gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Drizzle carrots with herb mixture; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 196 calories, Fat 17g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 1mg cholesterol, Sodium 102mg sodium, Carbohydrate 12g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 3g fiber), Protein 2g protein.

Tips:

  • Use fresh herbs for the best flavor. If you don't have fresh cilantro, you can use 1/2 cup of fresh basil instead.
  • If you don't have walnuts, you can use another type of nut, such as almonds, pecans, or pistachios.
  • Adjust the amount of garlic and lemon juice to taste. If you like a more garlicky pesto, add another clove or two of garlic. If you prefer a more lemony pesto, add more lemon juice.
  • To make a vegan pesto, omit the Parmesan cheese. You can also use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese for a dairy-free option.
  • Pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze pesto for up to 3 months.

Conclusion:

Cilantro walnut pesto is a versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes. It's great as a pasta sauce, a marinade for chicken or fish, or a spread for sandwiches and wraps. It's also a delicious addition to salads, soups, and stews. With its bright, herbaceous flavor and creamy texture, cilantro walnut pesto is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.

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