Pasta with Coriander Pesto

Swap basil for fresh cilantro and you get a pesto that’s brighter, more citrusy, and just a little bit wild. The cilantro (coriander leaf) blends with olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic into a vivid green sauce that has more edge than traditional pesto, with that distinctive herbal punch cilantro lovers crave.

Poppy seeds stirred into the finished pesto are the unexpected touch here. They add a faint nuttiness and a gentle crunch that you notice on the second or third bite. Mixed with grated Parmesan, the pesto coats the spinach fettuccine in a rich, herbaceous sauce.

Use the stems, not just the leaves. Cilantro stems carry even more flavor than the leaves and blend perfectly smooth in a food processor. Just trim the root end and roughly chop everything together.

Chef Tips

• Toast the extra pine nuts for the garnish in a dry skillet until golden. Raw pine nuts on top fall flat next to the richness of the pesto. Toasted ones add a buttery, roasted contrast.
• Toss the pesto with hot pasta immediately. The heat from the freshly drained fettuccine loosens the pesto and helps it coat every strand evenly. Cold pasta clumps.
• Don’t over-blend. A slightly chunky pesto has more character than a perfectly smooth one. Pulse in short bursts rather than running the processor continuously.

Variations

• Cilantro-lime pesto: Add the juice of one lime to the blender for an even brighter, more citrusy sauce.
• Cashew swap: Replace pine nuts with roasted cashews for a creamier, more affordable pesto with a slightly sweeter flavor.