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For me, pesto is a delicious sauce made with garlic, olive oil, some kind of cheese, some kind of nuts and some kind of herb. All my family are big fans. Actually, my husband makes a killer basil pesto (check the recipe here) that my kids and I love, too.
RELATED POST: Shrimp in Roasted Green Salsa
I had lots of cilantro in my fridge and cashews in my pantry, so I thought it would be a great idea to create a new pesto recipe. I combined the pesto with pasta and shrimp for a delicious meatless recipe. I hope you like it.
If you make this cilantro pesto and shrimp pasta, be sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the #mamalatinatipsrecipes hashtag. I’d love to see it and have a chance to share it as well.
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Cilantro Pesto and Shrimp Pasta
Serves 4
- 8 oz Vermicelli pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 10-12 oz raw shrimp, rinsed, shelled and deveined
- Salt to taste
For the cilantro pesto
- 80 fresh cilantro sprigs (approx 2 cups), washed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese, grated (Look for it in the Mexican cheese section of your market)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Be aware that Vermicelli is very thin and it cooks very quickly. In my case it took just 6 minutes once I put it into the boiling water.
Meanwhile, prepare the pesto while you are waiting for the water to boil.
In a food processor combine cilantro, garlic, cashews, cotija cheese, and olive oil. Mix until well blended. Taste for salt (depending on the cheese and cashews you are using it may need it or not). Mix again. Set apart.
Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and cook until golden. Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Be sure to not overcooked them or they will become rubbery. You will see them change color from a grayish to a white pinkish.
Drain pasta. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl, add the cilantro pesto and coat well.
Serve with garlic shrimp on top.
Enjoy!
This recipe is part of our annual 7 Weeks of Lenten Recipes 2016 event. Check out other yummy meatless recipes from my sister bloggers below and check out different Lenten recipes in Spanish underneath my Pasta con Pesto de Cilantro y Camarones recipe here. And if you need other meatless recipes right now, check out one of these:
- Silvia’s Mexican Tuna Salad
- Black Bean Burgers
- Quesadillas with Queso Fresco
- Chipotle Enfrijoladas
- Two-bean Vegetable Chili
- Cheese Entomatadas
- Cheese-filled Jalapeños
- Rajas and Corn Tacos
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Baked Yams and Potatoes with Veggie Burgers
Also, check out our Pinterest Lenten recipes board here.
Print the recipe:
Cilantro Pesto and Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz Vermicelli pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 10-12 oz raw shrimp rinsed, shelled and deveined
- Salt to taste
For the cilantro pesto
- 80 fresh cilantro sprigs approx 2 cups, washed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/3 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese grated (Look for it in the Mexican cheese section of your market)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Be aware that Vermicelli is very thin and it cooks very quickly. In my case it took just 6 minutes once I put it into the boiling water.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pesto while you are waiting for the water to boil.
- In a food processor combine cilantro, garlic, cashews, cotija cheese, and olive oil. Mix until well blended. Taste for salt (depending on the cheese and cashews you are using it may need it or not). Mix again. Set apart.
- Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and cook until golden. Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Be sure to not overcooked them or they will become rubbery. You will see them change color from a grayish to a white pinkish.
- Drain pasta. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl, add the cilantro pesto and coat well.
- Serve with garlic shrimp on top.
Notes
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