Your Cool Home is supported by its readers. Please assume all links are affiliate links. If you purchase something from one of our links, we make a small commission from Amazon. Thank you!
You can make pesto sauce with cilantro by swapping the basil for fresh cilantro and blending it with nuts, garlic, olive oil, and a little cheese.
It’s one of those easy little twists that turns a classic Italian sauce into something bright, zesty, and a little more exciting.
If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen with a giant bunch of cilantro and wondered what to do with it before it wilts, this is your answer.
In this post, we’ll walk through how to make pesto sauce with cilantro, the ingredients you’ll need, the best ways to blend it, and a few tasty ways to use it.
Let’s get into it.
Why Make Pesto Sauce With Cilantro
Cilantro pesto is basically the same idea as traditional basil pesto, just with a different leafy green at the center.
The reason people love to make pesto sauce with cilantro is that cilantro brings a fresh, citrusy, slightly peppery flavor that basil just can’t match.
It’s perfect when you want a sauce that feels a little lighter and more vibrant.
Plus, if you grow cilantro in your garden or buy it in big bundles at the market, making pesto sauce with cilantro is a smart way to use it all up before it goes bad.
And honestly, it’s just fun to change things up in the kitchen.
1. Cilantro Brings a Bright, Zesty Flavor
Cilantro has a fresh, almost citrusy taste that pairs beautifully with garlic, lime, and nuts.
When you make pesto sauce with cilantro, you get a sauce that tastes alive and herbaceous.
It’s not heavy or overpowering the way some people fear cilantro can be.
Instead, the other ingredients mellow it out into something smooth and balanced.
2. It’s a Great Way to Use Up Extra Cilantro
Cilantro tends to wilt fast, and nobody likes throwing away a sad, slimy bunch.
Making pesto sauce with cilantro is one of the best ways to rescue that herb before it’s too late.
You can blend it up, store it in the fridge, or freeze it for later.
That way, you always have a jar of cilantro pesto ready to go.
3. It Works With Lots of Different Dishes
When you make pesto sauce with cilantro, you’re not locked into pasta only.
It works on tacos, grilled fish, roasted veggies, sandwiches, and even eggs.
The flavor is versatile enough to fit into Mexican, Thai, and even Mediterranean-style meals.
So it’s a sauce that earns its keep in the kitchen.
Ingredients for Pesto Sauce With Cilantro
To make pesto sauce with cilantro, you only need a handful of simple ingredients.
Here’s what to grab:
1. Fresh Cilantro
You’ll want about two packed cups of cilantro leaves and tender stems.
Rinse them well and pat them dry so your pesto sauce with cilantro doesn’t turn out watery.
2. Nuts or Seeds
Traditional pesto uses pine nuts, but you can use almonds, walnuts, pepitas, or even sunflower seeds.
Each one changes the texture and flavor slightly, but they all work when you make pesto sauce with cilantro.
3. Garlic
One or two cloves of garlic give the sauce its punch.
If you love garlic, add an extra clove and thank yourself later.
4. Lime or Lemon Juice
A squeeze of lime or lemon brightens everything up.
It also helps the cilantro pesto keep its vibrant green color a little longer.
5. Olive Oil
Use a good-quality olive oil because it carries so much of the flavor.
You’ll need about half a cup, maybe a little more depending on how thick you want your pesto sauce with cilantro.
6. Cheese (Optional)
Parmesan or cotija cheese adds a salty, savory note.
If you’re keeping it dairy-free, you can skip the cheese or use nutritional yeast instead.
7. Salt and Pepper
Season to taste, and don’t be shy with the salt.
It wakes up all the other flavors in your pesto sauce with cilantro.
How to Make Pesto Sauce With Cilantro Step by Step
Making pesto sauce with cilantro is quick and simple, especially if you have a food processor or blender.
Here’s the process:
1. Prep Your Ingredients
Wash and dry the cilantro, peel the garlic, and measure out your nuts and oil.
Having everything ready makes the whole process smoother when you make pesto sauce with cilantro.
2. Pulse the Dry Ingredients First
Add the cilantro, nuts, garlic, and cheese to your food processor.
Pulse a few times until everything is roughly chopped.
This helps the pesto sauce with cilantro blend evenly instead of turning into a paste in one spot.
3. Stream in the Olive Oil
With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil.
Keep blending until the sauce looks smooth but still has a little texture.
That’s the sweet spot for pesto sauce with cilantro.
4. Add Lime Juice and Season
Squeeze in the lime or lemon juice, then add salt and pepper.
Give it one more pulse and taste it.
Adjust anything that needs adjusting, and your pesto sauce with cilantro is ready.
5. Store or Serve Right Away
You can use it immediately or pour it into a jar and refrigerate.
A thin layer of olive oil on top helps it stay fresh longer.
And yes, you can freeze pesto sauce with cilantro in ice cube trays for easy portions later.
Ways to Use Pesto Sauce With Cilantro
Once you know how to make pesto sauce with cilantro, you’ll want to put it on everything.
Try tossing it with warm pasta, spreading it on toast, or drizzling it over grilled chicken.
It’s amazing on tacos, shrimp, roasted corn, and even pizza.
You can also stir a spoonful into soups or use it as a marinade for fish.
The options are pretty much endless when you make pesto sauce with cilantro.
So, How Do You Make Pesto Sauce With Cilantro?
You make pesto sauce with cilantro by blending fresh cilantro with nuts, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, and optional cheese until smooth.
It’s a fast, flavorful twist on classic pesto that’s perfect for using up extra herbs.
Whether you spoon it over pasta or drizzle it on tacos, cilantro pesto brings a fresh, zesty punch to whatever you’re eating.
Give it a try, and you might never go back to basil-only pesto again.