Spicy Cilantro Pesto

10 Reviews

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Ready In: 25 min

“A different twist on pesto.” - by Amber

Ingredients

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and ground black pepper to taste (optional)

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Metric US

Original recipe yields 1 cup

Directions

Toast almonds in small skillet over medium-low heat until light golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic cloves in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature; chop.
Pulse the almonds, garlic, and cilantro together in a food processor until roughly chopped. Slowly stream the 1/2 cup olive oil into the mixture with the food processor running continually. Add the lemon juice, red pepper, salt and pepper and continue processing until smooth.

Nutrition

Amount Per Serving (8 total)

Calories
148 cal
7%

Fat
15.7 g
24%

Carbs
1.6 g
< 1%

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Reviews (10)

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tigerlilly

Jul. 28, 2009

"This one is a real crowd pleaser! My personal touch: add fresh basil to the pesto then throw it into the oven with jalapeno cheese on top to really spice things up. Caution: this one is really hot!..." See more"

sueb

Jan. 25, 2011

"I used pine nuts instead of almonds. This has great taste, and is easy to make. I put some pesto into mushroom caps, and baked until heated through. It made great appetizers!..." See more"

TOTALFOODIE

Oct. 28, 2010

"Loved the idea! Had to change it - only had a cup of cilantro so i used a little less oil and nuts. Used a mix of almonds, cashews and sunflower seeds instead of just almonds. Turned out delicious!!!..." See more"

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