Alternative to Cilantro Pesto in Southwestern Pasta Dish?

Question

I am wanting to make a southwestern-style lasagna dish tomorrow night, but the recipe calls for cilantro pesto (which is made from fresh cilantro, pumpkin seeds, jalapeno pepper, garlic, lime juice and asiago cheese). Nobody that I'm serving it to likes cilantro, so I'm looking for either an alternative ingredient in the pesto or an alternative pesto-style sauce that retains the southwest feeling. Do you have any suggestions?

If this matters:

The recipe calls for 2/3 cup of the pesto, divided amongst four servings. The lasanga will also contain roasted zucchini, red pepper, corn, spinach, ricotta, asiago, monteray jack cheese and a home-made smoky tomato sauce. I'll be serving it with pumpkin muffins on the side.

Thanks for your ideas and suggestions!

I'm really looking for something that retains a southwestern feel- not an Italian pesto recipe. I lived in Italy for two years (and traveled to the home of pesto- Liguria) so I know all about Italian pesto!

Answer 1

I see that the other person gave you a suggestion of an Italian pesto mix. You could simply substitute in basil or arugula for the cilantro or even some fresh parsley. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

cut the quorn sausages into diagonal slices and shallow fry in oil. FIrst, put some garlic and a little bit of red chili, salt and roasemary in the pan with the oil, before the quorn. When the garlic is soft, and the oil is nice and fragrant (this should take 5 minutes to sautee gently) then add some pine nuts or walnuts, and the quorn. Continue to sautee gently, then add some tomato puree, or a half can of dived crushed tomatoes ( whole canned tomatoes taste awful, as do fresh ones, so if you haven't got puree or crushed toms, use dried toms and a bit of veg stock in the same pan as the quorn. This is the sauce for the pasta. You can add a can of broth and simmer it down, or keep the quorn and tomato sauce gently simmering. Then cook the pasta. You can make pasta with chickpeas, if all that sounds complicated. Cook the pasta. Heat a drained can of chickpeas. Add rosemary, oregano, marjoram and lemon juice, olive oil, pine nuts and salt and pepper to a pan, and heat through. The chickpea mixture is a quite traditional pasta dish. Most pasta dishes don't have a really thick sauce. When you pour the chickpeas on the pasta, add lemon wedges, and some fresh chopped parsley.

Answer 3

How about substitute roasted bell pepper pesto or substitute parsley (or other herb you like) for the cilantro in the original recipe. Also, that pesto recipe sounds like it would be fine without the cilantro since there's so much else going on.

Answer 4

1/2 cup(s) Pine Nuts
2 cup(s) Basil, fresh chopped
1/2 cup(s) Romano cheese
3 clove(s) Garlic
1/2 cup(s) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup(s) Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste


Place pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic and oil in food processor and pulse until fine.

Mix in all other ingredients.

Here's the recipe i use, hope you like!