Simple Cilantro Summer Salad

Name: Simple Cilantro Summer Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 package of orzo pasta; 1/2 cup pine nuts; 2 cilantro bunches; 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese; Juice of 1 lime; A pinch of red pepper flakes; Salt, to taste; 1/2 cup good-quality olive oil

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Prep 5 min
Total 20 min
Ingredients 9
Servings 8

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This simple summer salad, made with homemade cilantro pesto and orzo pasta, is quick, easy, light and refreshing. Throw in roasted veggies, top with cotija cheese or enjoy this simple cilantro pesto summer salad as is—you’ll love its vibrant flavor.

by Vanessa Bell

Updated Sep 18, 2015

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Ingredients

1 package of orzo pasta
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cilantro bunches
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lime
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup good-quality olive oil

Directions

1

Cook the orzo pasta according to package directions.
2

While your pasta is cooking, in a dry small skillet, toast the pine nuts over medium-low heat for only a minute or so. Do not walk away or you run the risk of burning them!
3

Add the pine nuts in a food processor and process them quickly a few times. Then add the cilantro, garlic, parmesan cheese, lime juice, red pepper flakes and salt.
4

Process the ingredients until everything is well incorporated. With the food processor still running, pour the olive oil in a steady stream until the pesto has reached the desired level of consistency.

Expert Tips

tip 1
Experiment while making pesto! Use almonds instead of pine nuts, switch cheeses or make your pesto into a chunky dip by controlling the amount of olive oil added.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

This simple summer salad, made with homemade cilantro pesto and orzo pasta, is quick, easy, light and refreshing. Throw in roasted veggies, top with cotija cheese or enjoy this simple cilantro pesto summer salad as is—you’ll love its vibrant flavor.