Cilantro, lime, garlic, jalapeño, and pistachios make for a deliciously chunky spread in this cilantro pesto. Dollop on bowls, spread on wraps, anything you want!
Cilantro Pesto
Cilantro Pesto Is My New Favorite Shade Of Green.
This chunky green sauce has become a real BFF.
It’s limey, a little spicy, and did I mention chunky? Yes, the cilantro and lime and jalapeño lead the flavor parade, but the real hero here is the pistachios. They give it a buttery, salty, almost roasty flavor but also preserve just the right amount of thick chunkiness to make it interesting to spread / dollop / eat.
It’s cilantro pesto, or cilantro chutney – basically, a yummy, spoonable sauce that is packed with garlic, lime, cilantro, and jalapeño. And, surprisingly, pistachios.
I have been spreading it on those Trader Joe’s scallion pancake egg wraps (SO good):
And I’ve also been dolloping it very generously on these yellow rice and chicken bowls (recipe for the bowls coming soon):
And you know what? Today I threw a spoonful on top of my bowl of chicken noodle soup. There are no rules here. Just let the spirit lead.
This is super similar to the magic green sauce from way back in the day, but this is decidedly more sturdy, chunky, and spreadable. I think you’ll love it.
Welcome To My House! Let’s Make This.
1
Blitz everything together!
It’s a one-step situation, which I love to the maximum. The mixture can get a bit thick so you may need to pause blending to scrape it down the sides, or just add a bit more water to help it blend more smoothly.
2
Eat it with everything.
For example, a bowl with saucy chicken, yellow rice, pickled onions, microgreens, and a nice big dollop of that cilantro pesto.
Print
Cilantro Pesto
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Cilantro, lime, garlic, jalapeño, and pistachios make for a deliciously chunky spread in this cilantro pesto. Dollop on bowls, spread on wraps, anything you want!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 bunch cilantro (1.5 – 2 cups – I just cut the top off of the bunch that I buy from the store)
- 1/2 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed
- 1 clove garlic
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup roasted salted pistachios
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in a small food processor, chopper, or blender until it reaches your desired consistency! I like to leave it a little bit textured / chunky.
- Enjoy! I like this on top of bowls, soups, pizza, eggs, sandwiches, and wraps… it’s good on just about everything. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Notes
You may need to use a spatula to scrape it down as you go since it’s a bit of a thicker texture. You can also add a splash of water to help keep it moving in the blender.
All cilantro bunches are going to be different sizes so if you get a small one, I would use two cilantro bunches. You want 1.5 – 2 cups so that there’s enough to give it some body.
A small blender or food processor (like this one) works best for this sauce! If you’re using a larger blender, you will want to double the amounts in order to give it enough volume to actually be able to blend properly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blend
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cilantro pesto, cilantro sauce, pesto
Three More Of My Favorite Sauces
January 23, 2025
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
Did you make a recipe? Tag @pinchofyum on Instagram so we can find you!
