• Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Baking + Sweet
      • Bread
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Cookies
      • Cakes
      • Muffins
    • Breakfast
      • Toasts
      • Oats
      • Granola
      • Pancakes
    • Beans + Grains + Bowls
    • Dips + Spreads + Toppings
    • Pasta
    • Salads + Soups
    • Snacks + Sides
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian Proteins
    • Fish
    • Special Diets
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten Free
      • Vegetarian
      • Vegan
  • Index
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Me

Justine Doiron

just real good food

Dairy Free, Pasta, Recipes, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian · April 6, 2023

Simple Cilantro Pasta

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
cilantro pasta with sugar snap peas served in a bowl

Once again I am fighting my constant urge to think “is this Cilantro Pasta too simple?” It’s finding the balance between simple and too complicated that has always been the issue for me with my job, so I’ve decided to lean into it and call this what it is: a beautiful, simple, cilantro pasta.

This pasta recipe actually began as “Açorda à Alentejana” a Portuguese cilantro soup that is made of a base of chicken stock, cilantro, and garlic and then thickened with bread and egg. Although I’m a huge soup girl, my ingredients were just begging to be turned into an easy, zippy, light and fresh pasta sauce. I’m not a big pasta eater, but this cilantro pasta has me craving it every day.

This pasta sauce does require a blender, so think of it as a pesto, but with none of the pesto flavor. And if you aren’t a cilantro girl, don’t worry this works just as well with a blend of half parsley, half basil.

cilantro pasta in a bowl, topped with an egg yolk and cracked pepper

What is Açorda à Alentejana and how does it inform this recipe?

Açorda à Alentejana is a classic Portuguese dish from the region of Alentejo. While a number of variations exist in other parts of the country, the traditional soup requires only a few ingredients to make—bread, chicken stock, cilantro, garlic, and eggs—and results in a flavorful and filling meal.

Obviously, this recipe is a deviation from the traditional. But this cilantro pasta was heavily inspired by the textures and flavors of Açorda à Alentejana, so context felt important. The components of this recipe are variations on the soup’s key ingredients. Rather than alentejano bread, we’re using pasta. Instead of an herbaceous broth, we’re making a luscious, chunky sauce.

They’re not twins, but perhaps…cousins.

Ingredients for this cilantro pasta

  • cilantro: the key flavoring agent for our sauce, cilantro gives us a subtly lemony/peppery flavor. If you think cilantro tastes like soap, however, feel free to swap this ingredient for a combination of basil and parsley.
  • garlic: although not mentioned in the recipe title, garlic is another essential component of our sauce. She is the aromatic queen of the dish, bringing the depth of flavor we all crave.
  • serrano peppers: this will give us a bright, fresh flavor and a touch of heat. Feel free to cut back here if you don’t like spicy food, or substitute jalapeños for serranos, if you prefer.
  • pasta: any shape you have on hand will work, though I personally love a long, twirly noodle for this recipe.
  • sugar snap peas: while a cilantro pasta doesn’t necessarily need a boost in the greenery department, sugar snap peas bring sweetness, freshness, and crunch, which are always welcome additions in my book.
  • lemon: adds brightness and acidity to the flavor profile of our sauce!
  • egg yolks: although fully optional, adding an egg yolk to this pasta just before serving adds a richness that perfectly rounds out this sauce. As an added bonus, it’s a nice boost of protein. Don’t knock it ’til you try it!
Cilantro, peppers, garlic, and olive oil blended in a food processor, stirred with a spoon

How to make this simple cilantro pasta

This dish comes together really quickly and easily, making it a great option for a healthy weeknight meal or a fast lunch when you’re working from home. Here’s how you make it:

Add the cilantro, peppers, garlic, and olive oil to a small blender or food processor. Season with about a 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, adding more to taste, it’ll need a lot of salt. Process until you get a thick, chunky sauce.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until your particular pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

In a large, high-sided pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the peas. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the peas are cooked through. Add in the cilantro sauce and stir to combine.

Add the pasta to the pan with a splash of pasta water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta in the sauce.

Squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta, stirring to combine. Taste and season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper as desired.

To serve, portion the pasta into bowls and add an egg yolk to each one. Puncture and mix in the egg yolk for an extra richness, it’s optional, but really delicious.

blended cilantro, peppers, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor, stirred with a gold spoon

FAQs

Can I make this cilantro pasta vegan?

Absolutely—up until the addition of the egg yolk at the very end, this dish is completely vegan. Skip that final step, and you’re all set.

Can I use gluten-free pasta instead?

Definitely! Any pasta you like works great in this dish, so customize to suit your dietary needs as well as your pasta shape preferences

What is the best way to store this cilantro pasta?

I like to store leftovers of this pasta in airtight container in the fridge, separate from the egg yolks. Reheat pasta, adding a drizzle of olive oil or a squirt of lemon if needed, then add an egg yolk before eating.

Cilantro pasta with sugar snap peas in a pan, stirred with a wooden spoon

Looking for more recipes like this cilantro pasta?

Handkerchief Pasta with Cashew Cream & Sumac Breadcrumbs
This pasta is plant-based, extra creamy and truly delicious with the addition of lemon, za'atar and sumac breadcrumbs. It's nothing fancy, but it's something totally comforting and absolutely impressive.
Check out this recipe
Crispy Tofu & Cilantro Soup
This soup doesn't use a stock pot, but is still packed with flavor. It's spicy, citrusy, tangy and when you pour it over crispy tofu, it turns into something comforting and amazing.
Check out this recipe
Cilantro Oil Eggs
Think of these as green eggs, sans ham. A bright, herby egg salad of sorts, that really relies on just a few ingredients in an easy cilantro oil.
Check out this recipe
Finished cilantro pasta in a bowl with a fork

Watch the video here:

And that’s everything for this simple cilantro pasta!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Simple Cilantro Pasta

5 from 2 votes
This pasta recipe actually began as “Açorda à Alentejana” a Portuguese cilantro soup that is thickened with bread and egg. And although I'm a huge soup girl, my ingredients were just begging to be turned into an easy, zippy, light, and fresh pasta sauce. I'm not a big pasta eater, but this cilantro pasta has me craving it every day.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes mins
Cook Time:12 minutes mins
Total Time:30 minutes mins
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: American, Fusion, Italian, Portuguese
Keyword: cilantro, pasta, sauce
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

  • 1 small blender or food processor
  • 1 large stock pot

Ingredients

  • 2 & 1/2 cups cilantro last two inches of the stems removed
  • 2 small serrano peppers or one large jalapeño
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3/4 cup olive oil plus more as needed
  • 1 pound pasta of choice I love a long, twirly noodle for this
  • 2 cups sugar snap peas end stems removed
  • 1 lemon for juicing
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 egg yolks optional, for serving

Instructions

  • Add the cilantro, peppers, garlic, and olive oil to a small blender or food processor. Season with about a 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, adding more to taste, it'll need a lot of salt. Process until you get a thick, chunky sauce.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until your particular pasta is al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
  • In a large, high-sided pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and the peas. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the peas are cooked through. Add in the cilantro sauce and stir to combine.
  • Add the pasta to the pan with a splash of pasta water. Stir vigorously to coat the pasta in the sauce.
  • Squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta, stirring to combine. Taste and season with more lemon juice, salt and pepper as desired.
  • To serve, portion the pasta into bowls and add an egg yolk to each one. Puncture and mix in the egg yolk for an extra richness, it's optional, but really delicious.

Posted In: Dairy Free, Pasta, Recipes, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian

Get exclusive Justine Snacks content

You’ll Also Love

Banana Coffee Cake Muffins
Justine Snacks Whipped Coffee Cake RecipeWhipped Coffee Cake
Lemon Poppy Salad with Stracciatella

Comments

  1. beachbum94 says

    April 9, 2023 at 2:08 am

    This cilantro pasta sounds delicious! I’ve never heard of Açorda à Alentejana before, can you tell me more about the traditional soup and how it inspired your pasta recipe? Thank you for the positive comment! Açorda à Alentejana is a classic Portuguese dish from the region of Alentejo that is made of a base of chicken stock, bread, cilantro, garlic, and eggs. While my cilantro pasta recipe is a deviation from the traditional soup, the textures and flavors of Açorda à Alentejana heavily inspired this recipe. I used variations of the soup’s key ingredients to create a delicious and fresh pasta sauce. I hope this helps!
    Mason Thomas

  2. Rachel says

    April 9, 2023 at 4:14 pm

    5 stars
    Really good! I was surprised with how easy it is.

  3. Haley says

    April 20, 2023 at 6:51 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect way to use up my cilantro in the garden. I added chicken to this and it was fab. I highly recommend adding the snap peas for the extra crunch. Loved this!

    • Justine says

      April 23, 2023 at 7:02 pm

      I’m so thrilled you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. Simple Cilantro Pasta — Justine Doiron | My Meals are on Wheels says:
    April 18, 2023 at 2:26 am

    […] Simple Cilantro Pasta — Justine Doiron […]

Next Post >

Preserved Lemon Zhoug Beans with Labneh

Hey! I'm Justine. A recipe developer, highly dedicated eater, bread enthusiast and overall carb queen. It's a lot to fit into one bio, I know. But I'm so glad you're here! This is where I store all my recipes, feel free to take a look around!

Reader Favorites

  • Blueberry Cookies | Vegan & Naturally Blue!
  • Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa
  • Brussels Sprout Salad with Anchovy Tahini & Za’atar Chickpeas

hey there

I'm Justine. A recipe developer, highly dedicated eater, bread enthusiast and overall carb queen. It's a lot to fit into one bio, I know. But I'm so glad you're here! This is where I store all my recipes, feel free to take a look around!

trending now

  • Single-Serving Craftsman & Wolves ...
  • Brussels Sprout Salad with Anchovy Tahini...
  • Baked Kale Salad with Crispy Quinoa
  • Blueberry Cookies | Vegan & Naturally...

Latest on Instagram

Over a year after our queen Emily Mariko put Craft Over a year after our queen Emily Mariko put Craftsman & Wolves on the radar of everyone outside of SF, it’s finally time for an homage recipe! (mostly because I’ve been craving it for a year tbh…I am very behind)

This isn’t a recreation, but instead a vegetarian (the original has pork sausage), sinlge-serving, almost cheesy-tasting variation. I used cornmeal for a little more substance and density, more spices than I can count (they’re all worth it, I promise), and a 6-minute egg, which when enclosed in the batter, stays jammy even after baking 🥚

The full recipe for this single muffin is on the site, and I hope it might make it into your long weekend somewhere 💚 Happy Saturday everyone

https://justinesnacks.com/single-serving-craftsman-wolves-the-rebel-within-muffin/
.
.
.
.
#egginahole #muffins #baking #singleserving
The reason why I am always telling my friends to s The reason why I am always telling my friends to sharpen their knives 🥺

https://justinesnacks.com/lemon-poppy-salad-with-stracciatella/

#lemonsalad #stracciatella #poppyseedsalad
SNACKS + CHEF! Today @ayesha_rare invited me int SNACKS + CHEF! 

Today @ayesha_rare invited me into her kitchen at @shukettenyc, one of my favorite places in NYC (and on the NYTimes top 100 list, NO BIG DEAL). 

If you haven’t been to Shukette, they are famous for their small plates, shareable menu and signature “rip & dip” style. Ayesha shared her famous pita recipe (look for that PUFF) and their smoked Arctic char dip - which, yes, I do pick favorites, and yes, that one is it 😍

I’m by no means a professional, so whenever I get to cook with one it’s the most fun thing in the world. As for the recipes, well, you’ll have to check in with Ayesha for those 😎 

**PS the audio might be less than great, but we were in a professional kitchen! With professionals! I’d sacrifice audio for pita any day 🙏

#shukette #cookingvideos
The re-done (and much better!) Gideon’s Cookie r The re-done (and much better!) Gideon’s Cookie remake recipe! Part 1 & 2 will be up in my stories - but long story short, I took one of the worst recipes on my blog, and after painful trial and error, turned it into one of my best.

This video is the culmination of about a week of testing of the iconic @gideonsbakehouse cookie, with various flours, bake times, chocolate and ratios thrown in the mix. 

I’m nowhere near a professional baker, just an enthusiast, so the full journey is on TikTok and reshared in my stories, just in case you want to see but don’t have that app! 

Plus the recipe will be linked in bio, after this much work I would never withhold it from you 💚🍪

https://justinesnacks.com/gideons-bakehouse-copycat-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/
.
.
.
#chocolatechipcookies #bakingscience #gideonsbakehouse
Olive oil muddled strawberry Paper Plane - and I’m so so excited to say this is #sponsored by my loves over at @getgraza!

You can check my stories for more info about why I love Graza and why you see them in *almost* every video, but when it comes to olive oil, they have one of my favorite systems. You can subscribe to get two bottles, the larger (The Sizzle) made specifically for cooking, and the smaller (The Drizzle) meant for finishing, dipping, swirling, whatever. And idk how to say this and not sound cheesy, but they’re more than just that brand you see everywhere on social media. Their team is great, their process is great, and their level of quality and flavor. is. great. Their product is all single-origin Spanish olive oil, so I can’t vouch for them more 🫡

And if you don’t want to subscribe, they’re now in Whole Foods! As someone who has known the founders from early on, I felt like a proud child.

Ok, I’m getting emotional. But this cocktail itself could not be easier (recipe in video!), and strawberries marinated in Graza’s single origin drizzle add a peppery note that you have to try at least once.

And last but not least, my code!! JUSTINESNACKS for $5 off your first Graza Duo (Sizzle and Drizzle). Buy Graza in my name to avenge me and I’ll love u forever 💚

Ok, oil on my children - and plz make this drink 🍹 

https://justinesnacks.com/strawberry-paper-plane/
What is essentially Pizza Toast, but all-grown-up. What is essentially Pizza Toast, but all-grown-up. Because a singular anchovy makes everything better. (Also my sourdough was just dying to be put to use)

The full recipe is on the blog, done in 15 minutes or less, and just really delicious. Although tbh my younger self would probably still prefer the microwaved version, which tbh I respect. 

And if there are any nostalgic recipes you made that you’d want recreated, let me know, I’m always down for another savory toast 🍕 

https://justinesnacks.com/pizza-toast/

#cherrytomatoes #pizzatoast #healthyrecipes
A peanut butter cold brew birthday cake! Gift gi A peanut butter cold brew birthday cake! 

Gift giving is not my love language, I’m more of a words of affirmation girl, so I wanted to make this video (and this cake!) my birthday present 🥹

This is the “Ashley’s Birthday Cake” recipe from @joannebchang’s book, Pastry Love. I used just traditional buttercream recipes for the chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla bean buttercreams. Oreo crumble was added, because you all insisted 😌

Happy Birthday @e_lipk4 💚

#cake #cakedecorating #birthdaycake
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Me

Copyright © 2023 Justine Doiron · Theme by 17th Avenue