Vegan Cilantro Pesto
Move over basil; there’s a new herb for pesto in town, and in fact, it’s two — cilantro and parsley! I know, it’s a little different, but trust me when I say, everyone will be raving over this pesto, even those who don’t like cilantro (seriously, you don’t even notice the cilantro taste!). I wanted to put a spin on the traditional pesto recipe with some herbs that I currently have growing in my garden. Since parsley and cilantro are both currently in season where I live (believe it or not, yes, parsley and cilantro are cool weather herbs), I figured let’s give this a try, and I’m so happy I did! Everyone absolutely loves this pesto, and I will definitely be making it multiple times throughout the season.
Ingredients:
1 cup parsley
1 cup cilantro
1/3 cup pine nuts (or seeds, if you want this to be nut free!)
2 whole garlic cloves
1/2 cup (120ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp of salt
1/8 tsp of fresh cracked pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)
Directions:
Put all ingredients into a food processor, and grind until well incorporated.
Serve with sliced & toasted crostini bread, fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic chives or whatever your heart desires!
I love to put a twist on a classic recipe like pesto using what’s in season in my garden, plus it’s a super simple recipe that’s easy to whip up when you have guests coming over! What other herbs do you think would be a great addition? Let me know what you think!
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