spicy cilantro pesto pasta with roasted asparagus
cilantro is my FAVORITE herb, so naturally i love this pesto. in my opinion, it has a milder flavor than other pestos. this recipe is very versatile. use your favorite herb, if not a huge fan of cilantro. remember to take the seeds out of the jalapeno, if you don't like it too spicy! this is an easy dish to add a protein to, such as shrimp or chicken.
ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil -
- 1 bunch of asparagus - trimmed, sliced into 1 inch pieces on a bias
- 1 pound penne pasta -
- 2 cups fresh cilantro -
- 3 garlic cloves -
- 1 jalapeno - chopped roughly
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts -
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese - plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup olive oil -
- salt/pepper - (i used 1/2 teaspoon salt)
- 1 tomato - seeded, cubed
instructions:
- preheat the oven to 400 degrees. line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. set aside.
- place the asparagus on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the tablespoon of olive oil. season with salt/pepper to taste.
- place in the preheated oven for 15 - 20 minutes until slightly browned and caramelized. remove from the oven. set aside.
- in a large pot, bring water to a boil. salt the water and add penne pasta. cook according to package instructions. drain pasta, set aside.
- for pesto: combine the remaining ingredients (except for the tomato) in a food processor or blender.
process until smooth.
- in a large bowl, add the reserved pasta and roasted asparagus. pour pesto over the mixture. toss to coat.
- fold in tomatoes.
- serve warm or room temperature. garnish with more parmesan cheese, if preferred.
