Best Cilantro Pasta Recipes

CILANTRO PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Place first 8 ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth, then add the pasta water. Toss with hot pasta, adjust seasonings, then serve immediately.

GURU'S CILANTRO LIME PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Using a blender, mix together the cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, 1/2 cup asiago, salt and chicken broth on low speed for 2 minutes. Set aside. In large saucepan combine pasta, cooked chicken and sauce. Heat over medium heat for 2 minutes. Pour into serving bowls. Top with remaining asiago and sun-dried tomatoes.

BLACK BEAN-CHICKEN PASTA SALAD WITH CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING

Steps:

• Prepare dressing. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook chicken in hot oil for 6-8 minutes , stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in th center. Toss chicken, chili powder, garlic and salt. (add more seasonings to taste if you wish) Set chicken aside.
• Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water.
• Mix pasta, chicken,dressing, tomato and beans. Enjoy!
• Creamy Cilantro-Pesto Dressing.
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro (3/4 cup dried).
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
• 1/3 cups pine nuts.
• 1/3 cup olive oil.
• 1/4 cup whipping cream **.
• 1 teaspoons grated lemon peel.
• 1 TBSP.lemon juice ***.
• 1/8 teaspoons ground red pepper.
• 2 cloves garlic.
• Place all above ingredients in a food processor or blender.
• Cover and process until smooth.

PASTA WITH CILANTRO-PEANUT PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine cilantro, garlic, ginger, vegetable and sesame oils, red-pepper flakes, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup peanuts. Pulse until a coarse paste forms. Season with soy sauce and pulse to combine.
• In a large bowl, toss pesto with pasta. Roughly chop remaining peanuts and sprinkle over pasta along with cilantro leaves.

PASTA WITH CILANTRO PESTO AND BARLEY

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Stir in the barley. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add orecchiette pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a food processor, finely chop the cilantro, green onions, and 1/2 the tomatoes. Mix in the broth and Parmesan cheese, and process until well blended.
• In a large bowl, toss the barley, pasta, cilantro mixture, remaining tomatoes, and arugula. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

CILANTRO PESTO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the cilantro pesto: Add the cilantro, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are roughly chopped, 4 to 5 times. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil through the lid opening. Process to desired consistency; you can make the sauce completely smooth or leave it fairly chunky.
• For the roasted tomatoes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the tomatoes and shallot. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down and brown slightly, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
• For the salad: In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, tomatoes and pesto and toss. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and a few cilantro leaves and serve.

PASTA WITH CILANTRO-ALMOND PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden and fragrant, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely. Coarsely chop 1/3 cup; reserve.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, drop garlic in feed tube of a running food processor. Add 2/3 cup almonds; process until coarsely chopped. Add cilantro and oil; process to a paste. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add pesto to drained pasta along with 1/4 cup pasta water to loosen pesto slightly. Toss to combine, creating a silky sauce. Serve with carrots, feta, reserved almonds, and cilantro sprigs.

CILANTRO-LIME PASTA SALAD (WITH OR WITHOUT CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
• Meanwhile, for dressing, in a blender combine lime juice, cilantro, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cover and blend about 30 seconds or until well mixed. Set aside.
• Lightly coat the rack of an indoor electric grill with cooking spray. Preheat grill. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place chicken on grill rack. If using a grill with a cover, close lid. Grill until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F). (For a covered grill, allow about 6 minutes. For an uncovered grill, allow 12 to 15 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling.) Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
• In a large bowl combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes, red onion, mango, avocado, sweet peppers, and jalapeno pepper. Pour dressing over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. If desired, serve with lime wedges.

PASTA WITH SHRIMP AND CILANTRO-LIME PESTO

Steps:

• Blend 1 1/4 cups cilantro leaves and next 4 ingredients in processor until coarse puree forms. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil. Season generously with salt. (Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill).
• Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tb oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until almost opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; add tequila. Return skillet to heat and stir until sauce is syrupy, about 30 seconds. Add pesto; stir to coat. Remove from heat.
• Add pasta to sauce in skillet; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta and shrimp among 4 plates. Sprinkle Cotija cheese and chopped cilantro over and serve.

GREEN CHILE-CILANTRO PESTO SAUCE (PASTA)

Steps:

• Puree cilantro, cheese, green chile, jalapeno, pine nuts, and garlic in food processor until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
• With processor running, add oil in steady stream until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss pesto with cooked pasta and reserved pasta cooking water, if necessary.

PASTA WITH CILANTRO, PEAS AND SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• With processor running, drop garlic and chili through feed tube; chop finely. Add cilantro; chop finely. Add cream; blend until thick, using on/off turns. Add lime juice. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite; add fresh peas if using and boil 2 minutes. Do not precook frozen peas. Drain pasta and peas. Return to same pot. Mix in sauce and thawed frozen peas if using. Add salmon and chives.

TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN CILANTRO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, cook pasta according to package direction, once pasta is cooked, drain and add 5tbsp of olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking. In a seperate pan add 2tbsp olive oil and chopped garilc, cook until fragrant approximately 2 minutes. Add the skinless, boneless chicken tenders cook until golden on ea. side ~4-6 minutes per side. Add the zest & lime juice, salt and pepper, follow with the tequilla. Allow to cook until the alcohol is evaported about 3 minutes. Insure that the chicken is fully cooked ~160F. Top off with the fresh chopped cilantro. Add the chicken mix to the pasta and enjoy.

CUCUMBER CILANTRO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook pasta, drain.
• Combine lime juice, cilantro, sugar, salt and pepper in small bowl.
• In a large bowl, combine pasta and vegetables.
• Toss gently with lime dressing.

RASTA PASTA IN A BOAT WITH A CILANTRO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook the squash in a large pot of boiling salted water for 12-14 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the 2 tablespoons of oil with the lime and orange juices, ginger, garlic, cumin and chile. Season with salt and pepper, add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Set Aside.
• In a small bowl make the Cilantro Cream Sauce; blend the sour cream with the milk, cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Set Aside.
• Carefully transfer the squash halves to a large bowl and let cool. (You can start on the next step while it is cooling) Using a fork and starting at 1 end of each piece of squash, scrape up and separate the strands. Pat dry with paper towels. Set Aside.
• In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and red pepper for one to two minutes. Add the chicken with its marinade and cook, stirring, until chicken is cooked through (4-5 minutes).
• Gently toss the chicken and vegetable mixture with the spaghetti squash and place in the empty squash shells for serving or place on plates. If you wish, you can place under broiler for a few minutes to darken the top.
• Top with the Cilantro Cream Sauce and sprinkle with the tomatoes.

LIME CILANTRO SHRIMP OVER BLACK PASTA

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl combine the sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, ginger and minced jalapeno and marinate the shrimp in the mixture for 30 minutes.
• While this is marinating bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil for the pasta and peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the little tail on.
• When the pasta is about 5 minutes shy of being cooked, drain the shrimp, reserving the marinating juices and pat dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet. Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes or until done. Add the peas and reserved marinating juices and bring the liquid to a boil. Adjust the seasoning. Drain the pasta, divide it into two serving bowls and top each portion with shrimp. Garnish with cilantro.

SCALLOP CEVICHE ON BLACK PASTA CAKES WITH CILANTRO SALSA

Steps:

• Combine onion, juices, jalapeño, and salt in a bowl.
• Poach scallops in 4 quarts of simmering salted water, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through (scallops should be opaque with centers slightly pink), about 1 minute. Drain scallops and gently toss with marinade. Marinate scallops, covered and chilled, 3 hours.
• Boil pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Rinse briefly under cold running water to stop cooking (don't cool pasta completely) and drain well. Toss pasta with extra-virgin olive oil.
• Heat 1/4 inch olive or vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Form cakes by dropping a few strands of loosely squiggled pasta into a 1-tablespoon measure to fill it and inverting tablespoon into oil, flattening cake slightly if necessary. (If strands in bowl become too sticky to handle, stir in a little reserved pasta water, 1 teaspoon at a time. You need some starch from pasta to hold cake together, but you don't want strands to become wet.) Cook cakes, 4 at a time, until crisp, 45 seconds to 1 minute per side, and drain on paper towels. Season cakes with salt.
• Soak onion in cold water to cover 20 minutes, then drain and rinse well. Stir together onion, cilantro, tomatillos, tomato, jalapeño, and salt and chill, covered, until ready to use.
• Lift scallops out of marinade and put 1 on top of each pasta cake. Top with salsa and serve immediately.

EGG YOLK PASTA (UOVA DA RAVIOLO) WITH CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Place cilantro leaves, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, toasted almonds, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse until mixture becomes a paste-like pesto, 6 or 7 pulses.
• Mix all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour together in a bowl. Mound flour on a work surface such as a large wooden cutting board. Create a well in the center of the flour; add 4 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil into the middle of the well. Beat the eggs and olive oil and gradually begin incorporating the flour a little at a time using a fork, lifting flour up from the sides until most of the flour is incorporated into the eggs. Shape into a ball. Knead dough until it is elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding additional flour if it is too sticky.
• Roll dough out into a large rectangle about 1/16 inch thick. Cut into 8 6x6-inch squares.
• Mix ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheeses together in a small mixing bowl. Transfer to a piping bag or plastic bag (cut a small piece off a corner of the bag). Pipe a small circle of cheese mixture large enough to hold an egg yolk in the middle of 4 of the dough squares. Place an egg yolk in the center of each circle.
• Mix 1 egg white and 2 teaspoons water together in a small bowl. Brush egg wash on edges of the pasta squares outside the egg yolk circle. Carefully place remaining 4 pasta squares on the egg yolks. Gently seal edges and try to eliminate any air pockets. Use a 6-inch round cookie cutter to remove the corners of the squares. Press edges of ravioli with tines of a fork to strengthen the seal.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil; reduce heat to medium-high so water is just simmering. Carefully transfer ravioli to water; gently stir. Cook until pasta is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on 4 warm serving plates. Serve topped with a spoonful of pesto.

PASTA WITH SHRIMP AND CILANTRO-LIME PESTO

Steps:

• Blend 2 cups of cilantro leaves (leaving 1/4 cup for chopped garnish) and next 4 ingredients in food processor until coarse puree forms. With machine running, gradually add EVOO. Season generously with salt. (remember, this can be done ahead) Cook linguine in large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Meanwhile, heat remaining EVOO in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until almost opaque in the center, about 3 min. Remove skillet from heat; add tequilla. Return skillet to heat and stir until sauce is syrupy, about 30 sec. Add pesto; stir to coat. Remove from heat. Add pasta to sauce in skillet and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta and shrimp among plates, and sprinkle with Cojita or Feta cheese and chopped cilantro.

CILANTRO TOMATO PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise.
• Use a spoon to gently scrape away the seeds.
• Cut in half again lengthwise and dice cucumber.
• Place cucumber tomato red onion lime juice cilantro sugar salt and pepper and pasta in bowl
• Toss gently.
• Chill.

CILANTRO CAESAR PASTA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook Pasta al dente to package directions and rinse with cold water and drain. Add Mayo and Caesar dressing and refrigerate. dice tomato, onion, green pepper, cilantro and mix together in a bowl. Add garlic marinade in refrigerator for 1 hour or longer. Add Pasta with tomato mixture add salt to taste. If creamier pasta is desired add equal amounts of Mayo and Caesar Dressing until desired consistency. Serve cold on chilled salad plates garnished with cilantro sprigs and lime slices.