This easy to make Cilantro Pesto over Zucchini Noodles are the perfect meatless dinner, or veggie packed side dish. The pesto is dairy free and vegan, but oh so creamy thanks to the avocado. The cilantro pesto can also be used on it’s own tossed with fresh pasta, or with roasted or grilled meats and veggies for a super tasty dinner. So the next time you’re craving pesto, this cilantro version is sure to be a winner!
I love making pesto with basil during the summer months when I have an abundance of it. But…during the rest of the year, cilantro pesto holds it’s own at a fraction of the cost! This pesto is dairy free, unlike a traditional pesto. But I don’t think it sacrifices anything though, because the avocado and toasted cashews add a delicious creamy depth of flavor.
I’ve been serving it over zucchini noodles for a gluten free and paleo meal along with fresh tomatoes. But it’s also really good tossed with freshly cooked pasta. Or I’ve also served it as a sauce to roasted or grilled meats and veggies. It’s super tasty no matter what you choose to serve it with!
Now let’s jump in and make this Cilantro Pesto over Zucchini Noodles step by step!
Step 1:
Start by washing your cilantro. I like to use a salad spinner to make sure it’s perfectly dry before chopping it.
Step 2:
Be sure to remove any big stems from the cilantro before coarsely chopping it.
Step 3:
Next up we’ll toast the cashews or pine nuts. I like the flavor of this pesto with the cashews lightly toasted because it adds a good amount of richness. If you want to keep this recipe completely 100% raw, skip the toasting step.
Tip: I find it easiest to use a spoon to scoop the avocado out of it’s shell rather than trying to peel it!
Step 4:
Place all of the ingredients for the pesto into a blender or food processor. The blender produces a slightly smooth pesto but the food processor works as well.
If you’re using the blender: blend on low speed using the tamper to keep the ingredients moving along. It will take a couple of minutes for the pesto to come together.
If you’re using the food processor: process the ingredients together, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides until the pesto is mostly smooth
This pesto will keep for up to 1 day if you place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto and store it in the refrigerator.
Step 5:
If you’re serving your Cilantro Pesto with Zucchini Noodles, make a full recipe and cut up lots of fresh tomatoes, (about 3 cups) for a topping.
Step 6:
Toss the noodles together with the batch of pesto and arrange them on plates or in a serving dish. Finally, top the noodles with the tomatoes or pass them on the side.
This time, I served my Cilantro Pesto with zucchini and summer squash ‘noodles’ but it’s also amazing as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or fish. It also makes a great topping for Stir-Fried Vegetables on the Grill, or stirred into scrambled eggs for breakfast!
More zucchini noodle recipes:
- Blender Fresh Tomato Sauce with Zucchini Noodles
- Andouille Marinara over Zucchini Noodles
- Kung Pao Chicken Zucchini Noodles
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Zucchini Noodles
- Sausage Pepper Zucchini Noodles
I really hope you enjoy this Cilantro Pesto. And if you do get a chance to make this, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! Also for all my veggie noodle recipes, head on over to the recipe index.
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Cilantro Pesto over Zucchini Noodles
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy to make Cilantro Pesto over Zucchini Noodles are the perfect meatless dinner, or veggie packed side dish. The pesto is dairy free and vegan, but oh so creamy thanks to the avocado. The cilantro pesto can also be used on it’s own tossed with fresh pasta, or with roasted or grilled meats and veggies for a super tasty dinner. So the next time you’re craving pesto, this cilantro version is sure to be a winner!
Ingredients
2 bunches of cilantro, (4 ounces)
1/2 cup cashews, lightly roasted
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
2 Tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
1 Teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
4 cloves of garlic minced, measuring 1 Tablespoon
1 recipe of Zucchini Noodles
Freshly chopped tomatoes, about 3 cups
Instructions
Coarsely chop the cilantro, leaving most of the stems behind.
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on a low speed using the tamper to keep the mixture moving. It will take a couple of minutes before the pesto becomes fairly smooth.
If you’re using a food processor: process all ingredients, scraping down the sides as necessary until the pesto is mostly smooth.
Serve immediately as desired or with a recipe of Zucchini Noodles and freshly chopped tomatoes.
Notes
To keep this recipe totally raw, skip roasting the cashews.
This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of pesto.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
How many servings in this recipe?
It makes 2 cups of pesto or about 4 servings when served over zucchini noodles!
(I accidentally posted this comment on your “zoodle recipe”)
I was craving something a little WARM for this delicious recipe, so I added a heated up can of CHICKPEAS, drained, on top of the dish. Delicious!!
No problem, I was kind of wondering about what you said on that recipe, but it makes perfect sense here! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! 🙂
Am I able to heat up this sauce and serve it with sweet potato noodles or spaghetti squash?
You can heat up pesto but I don’t recommend it because it changes the flavor of the sauce. The best way if you want something warm is to toss the pesto with hot/warm cooked sweet potato noodles or spaghetti squash. The pesto will go brown/darker in color after coming in contact with heat, but that’s the best way to ‘heat’ it. If you heat the pesto directly, it tastes slightly different and turns an unpleasant color. I hope this helps and be sure to let me know if you have anymore questions!
How long and at what temperature do you roast the cashews?
Whenever I’m toasting any kind of raw nut, I place them in a thin layer on a cookie sheet or oven proof pan, and roast them at 300ºF for 15-20 minute, or until lightly golden brown. I hope you enjoy the recipe, and be sure to let me know if you have anymore questions!
I can’t have garlic. Any suggestions for substitutions?
You could substitute any mild onion, the whites of a green onion, shallot, or any sweet onion would work. I hope you enjoy the recipe, and be sure to let me know how it goes!
Substitute asparagus for avocado and soy nuts for cashews…
Hi Kari, I’ve just discovered your website and can’t wait to try some of this stuff out. I’m allergic to avocados, is there anything else I can use to get that creamy flavour and texture?
You could use olive oil instead like a traditional pesto. Try starting with 1/3 cup (minus the oil called for in the recipe), if the pesto is too thick to blend, add a bit more oil or some water if you’re watching your calories. Be sure to add only enough to blend, (you’ll have to use the tamper to keep the mixture moving) pesto is supposed to be pretty thick. Hope this helps and let me know if you have anymore questions, (and how you like the recipe)! 🙂
I never thought to use cilantro. what a great idea.
I love this cilantro pesto with everything, but especially straight from the spoon!