Pesto Pasta | Cilantro Pesto Pasta Recipe ( without using a food processor / mixer ) | Quick and Easy Pasta Recipe

Hi Supermoms,

There are so many different varieties of pasta. Instead of always making the cheese (white) pasta and the tomato(red)pasta, we can also make the green pasta.   You might have heard about this dish 'Pesto' in recent times. Pesto is a green pasta sauce made using fresh herbs, nuts , garlic and oil.  So basically Pesto Pasta means a 'green pasta'. Traditionally the pesto sauce is ground in a food processor and mixed along with cooked pasta. 

I have created this recipe especially for people who are staying in hostels with no  fancy equipments. Chop the ingredients finely and you can make this simple,  tasty and healthy pesto pasta over the gas stove within minutes. I had demonstrated this recipe in my snap chat and so many readers had made this recipe and loved it too. 

You can make it for office/school lunch box. Just adjust the water quantity so that the pasta does not become too dry. If you are vegan, you can avoid the butter and cheese and use oil instead. If you are gluten intolerant, you can use buckwheat pasta or vegetable noodles  to make this recipe. 

Ingredients :

2 cups pasta ( cooked, of your choice)

1 cup fresh herbs ( I used cilantro and baby spinach, very finely chopped)

4-5 garlic pods (grated)

1 green chilli ( grated)

1 onion ( grated)

1 potato ( boiled and cubed)

1/2 capsicum /bell pepper ( grated)

4-5 pepper corns ( freshly powdered)

2 teaspoons butter or oil

water ( adjust)

salt ( to taste)

For garnish ;

4-5 almonds ( blanched and chopped finely)

5-6 black olives ( or green olives)

1 tomato ( deseeded and finely chopped)

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese ( grated) 

Method :

1. Heat a pan with butter and add the garlic , green chilli and mix well over low flame.

2. Now add onions, capsicum, potato , salt and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the herbs, peppercorns and cook for 1-2 minutes only .

4. Add 1/2 cup of water and when the water starts boiling, add the cooked pasta .

5. Mix well and switch off.

6. Garnish with almonds, olives, tomato and cheese.

7. Serve with toasted bread .

Your pesto pasta is ready in minutes.

Chef tips : 

Adjust the spice quantity and the water quantity as required. You can add more cheese if you like.  You can add or substitute vegetables of your choice.

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom