Homemade vegan cilantro pesto made with fresh cilantro and sunflower seeds Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Homemade vegan cilantro pesto made with fresh cilantro and sunflower seeds. This pesto comes together in under 15 minutes and is the perfect topping for potatoes or pasta (Version 2)



Cilantro is one of the herbs that people either LOVE unconditionally or one that people HATE with a passion!

So, are you in team LOVE cilantro or team HATE cilantro?

When it comes to cilantro, there is no middle ground. No compromise, no “meet me half way” and no “I like it a little bit”

There is a science as to why some can’t stand the taste of cilantro. It tastes like soap to some people and the reason is because they are genetically predisposed to hate cilantro.

I am one of those in the LOVE cilantro camp. It is so common in Indian food and not just for garnish. If you have tasted green chutneys at Indian restaurants, they are made using cilantro

If you are looking for a quick pesto recipe, this vegan cilantro pesto is going to be exactly what you need. I added toasted sunflower seeds for a little nutty flavor.

To keep from adding too much oil to this pesto, I added a little chickpea water. The water is the liquid you find in cans of chick peas. There are so many wonderful uses for it because it is a terrific Egg substitute.

This vegan cilantro pesto is also a great way to preserve cilantro. I can’t tell you how many times I have bought cilantro only to see it wilt away. Lately, I have been on a “preserve herbs” kick like my basil butter recipe. Next, I want to try preserving parsley.

Now, I just make the pesto and store it in ice cube trays. When I am ready to use, I just pop about 2-3 ice cubes into a recipes like this roasted potato recipe.

If you are a fan of different pesto varieties, then I think you will like my Arugula pesto spread, tomato pesto or Vegan Pesto with scallions

In what recipe do you plan to use this cilantro pesto?

Vegan Cilantro Pesto