My family and I eat pesto at least once a week. Obviously, because pesto is super delicious but mainly because it is one of the fastest dinners you can make. With two little boys always demanding attention, I sometimes don't have the time or energy to stand in the kitchen for an hour. That's where pestos come in. In the time it takes the pasta to cook, you can whip up a delicious pesto for it.
Another reason why we're eating so much pesto...My 16-month-old demands that he always eat with a fork. Which is good but also makes a huge ginormous mess when we try to give him soup, cereal, or anything with a lot of sauce. Pesto clings to the noodles so there are no giant splats of tomato sauce landing on the floor, walls, hair, and every other imaginable place. Sure, we still have the occasional noodle that falls on the floor. However, my little chunk loved this Cilantro Basil Pesto so much that he was extremely diligent in eating it. I was shocked. His bib was spotless, his hand (licked) clean, and there was no need for a full body scrub. He did have a beautiful bright green smile though!
I used to always buy my pesto sauces at the store until I learned that even the best vegan store-bought pesto doesn't come close in flavor to homemade pesto. The freshness and rich green color are not something that any manufacturer can put in a jar. Just make your own...it's so worth it!
When I made this Cilantro Basil Pesto I was really planning on just making a simple basil pesto. I didn't have enough basil left though but still had a lot of cilantro so I decided to combine the two. I also added a chunk of ginger to it for more flavor. The result was amazing! The best part is that there are no elaborate directions. Pop all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulse, and...
Done!
Now mix Cilantro Basil Pesto with your cooked pasta and serve.
If I have leftover pesto I love putting it on sandwiches, vegan Caprese salads, on pizza, or as a garnish for soup. What is your favorite pesto use?
Cilantro Basil Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 cups Whole Wheat Pasta uncooked Farfalle or Gluten-free Pasta , cooked
- ½ cup Basil fresh
- 1 cup Cilantro fresh
- ½ cup Cashews raw, unsalted
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Ginger fresh
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 large clove Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice
- Fresh Cracked Pepper optional
Instructions
-
Blend all ingredients (except pasta) in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth or slightly chunky according to preference.
-
Mix pesto together with hot pasta and serve with fresh crack pepper.
Recipe Notes
1) Pesto tastes delicious either over hot pasta or in a cold pasta salad. 2) if not used right away, store the pesto in an air-tight container topped with a layer of olive oil to keep fresh.3) Use gluten-free pasta or vegetable noodles to make without gluten.
If you are a member of the anti-cilantro community, then I suggest you try this Parsley-Walnut Pesto instead :)
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
Ohh my word!! You have my mouth watering over here! This pesto looks absolutely fantastic! And I love that your little one loves it too :) You always know a recipe is good when it's kid-approved :D Pinned!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
This sounds so delicious! I have to keep myself away from pesto though, as I can end up eating so much of it. It love the stuff!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
Gorgeous! I love the cashews in this!
Manali @ CookWithManali says
I love this!! looks so good Vanessa, I love pesto :) Pinning this!
Mira says
I love pesto pasta, but this one is extra special! Will definitely try it! Pinned!
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
We're BIG pesto-pasta lovers over here and I am seriously drooling over this pasta! Next time, I've SO got to cashews and cilantro in my pesto sauce! Sounds totally amazing. :)
Michele @ Two Raspberries says
this looks so great! I want this right now ;-) pinning for sure!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
So excited to try this - I'm really intrigued by the combination of basil, cilantro and ginger - what great flavors! At my house pasta is almost always whole wheat - so I was thrilled that's what you spec, too! What a quick and easy recipe - absolutely pinning this one! :D
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy says
i love the addition of cilantro! yum!
Shannon @ The Glowing Fridge says
Mmm the color is so beautiful and vibrant! I'm also a pesto addict :) your pictures are amazing - I'm happy to have found your blog! I'll be stopping by often! Definitely pinning this for later!
X,
Shannon
Pure Ella says
This looks delicious!! You're right, nothing comes close to homemade ;)
xox
Levan @ MyWifeMakes.com says
Woo hoo! I pinned this a couple of days ago, cause I absolutely LOVED that kinda 'limey' (?) green that shines through. Seems fast to make without sacrificing an ounce of awesome taste. Thanks for sharing this recipe! Another fantastic creation to be proud of :)
Robin says
I just tried this tonight and thought it was delicious. I am on a journey towards being vegan but struggling with things to eat. It doesn't help that I have been a fast food junky for many years and rarely cook. This was super easy and quick. I was making it for just me so I made half the amount of pasta and have leftovers for lunch. I did add a zuchinni that I sliced and fried in a pan with water and salt and pepper than I added the pasta and pesto. It wish I had added two. Anyway this will be a staple dinner for me.
Vanessa says
Hi Robin, I thought at first too that I would be really limited when it came to vegan foods but the options really are endless. Pesto is one of my go-to recipes that I make way to often. It's so easy and fast to make plus you can make a different version of it everytime. I love that you added zucchini. I often add zucchini, bell peppers, or tomatoes as well to give it a bit more oomph :) I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Heather says
I made this today and had some issues with it. Did you soak your cashews first? I didn't see that it said to soak them and so I didn't and they are all chunky and I can't get a nice, smooth paste look to them. Any suggestions? Thanks
Vanessa says
Hi Heather, Sorry you ended up with some issues. I don't soak the cashews first. Pesto should have some texture to it. Though I know some like it really smooth. I would suggest adding a bit more water or olive oil to it then. I've made this pesto many times and it always turns out beautifully. Some cashews tend to be drier than others, if that's what the issue was in your case then you might try soaking them ;) Hopefully you'll give it another try. The flavor is delicious!
Heather says
Thanks for the tips. Despite the chunkiness to the pesto, we still ate it and loved it! My 5 year old son even begged to have it again for dinner but we ate it all at lunch! I will be making it again soon and will either try to soak them for a few minutes or adding water or something like that. It was wonderful no matter what!
Vanessa says
Thanks Heather. I'm glad it didn't go to waste :)
amy says
I made this tonight and it was fantastic. I left out the ginger simply because I'm not a huge fan of that spice, but kept everything else the same. I steamed some mixed veggies and added those to the pasta and pesto. Yum. Thanks for a great gluten free vegan dinner!
Vanessa says
Hi Amy, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. We actually ate/devoured this last night too :)
Julia Rinella says
Hi Vanessa,
Homemade pasta is delicious! Ever thought about making your own homemade pasta with a pasta roller though? That might make it even more delicious, if that is possible of course. ;)
Anyway, if you can get your hands on a pasta maker one day, you should go for it!
Kind regards,
Julie
Vanessa says
Hi Julie, I actually haven't made my own pasta in years. It's something I've been meaning to do again though. Just checked out your site and I'll definitely have to browse it some more :)
Showhan says
Wow !! I just surprised to see the post. That sounds amazing !! I love the recipe so much and the pictures are really incredible. I can't explain to your how these are looking gorgeous !! Thanks for sharing the great recipe.
Carly says
I made this last night and it is the first Vegan pesto that hasn't tasted awful. It was delicious, I'm looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Since becoming vegan in November I've found it so difficult to find recipes that are not bland but not spicy so that the kids can eat them too. I've spent ages making things that are just mediocre at best. Quick and delicious recipes are just what a family needs! Thanks
Smartpastamaker says
I also like that it makes a huge pot so we have enough to feed the four of us plus lunches! (double awesome!!)
Vanessa Croessmann says
Thanks! So happy you liked this Cilantro Basil Pesto Pasta! It's a family favorite!
Gonjales Yuda says
Fantastic website. Lots of useful info here. I’m sending
it to some friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you on your sweat!
DORIBA JANUEL says
Very valuable information, it is not at all blogs that we find this, congratulations I was looking for something like that and found it here.
Bethey says
Hi ! Thanks for the post. I was wondering can I use lightly roasted cashews instead?
Vanessa Croessmann says
Hi Bethey, lightly roasted cashews should work just fine :)
Sasha Jamison says
This looks so yummy! My fiance loves making sauces but we definitely need to invest in a food processor because the blender just doesn’t cut it haha
Clarence wilson says
Hey wow it looks so cool, I want this try this and i will and thanks for sharing
Helmer Arnold says
I love pesto pasta, but this one is extra special! Will definitely try it! Pinned! and very valuable information, I was looking for something like that and found it here.
Joy says
Yum! Tried making this one for my kids and they love it! Definitely recommended.