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Pumpkin Seed Pesto with Cilantro and Chipotle
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This spicy, smoky, earthy Mexican-inspired pesto comes from Milk Street Facebook Community member Carol McClendon of Houston. Toss it with a pound of cooked pasta, along with a little reserved pasta cooking water to help the pesto coat the noodles, but it’s also delicious in a quesadilla. Or try it as a finishing touch on roasted winter squash or spooned onto grilled chicken or pork chops.
1
cup
Don’t overprocess the pesto or the pumpkin seeds will absorb all of the oil and the mixture takes on the consistency of a nut butter. To avoid overblending, it’s best to add the oil all at once and pulse to combine rather than stream it in while the machine is running.
10 minutes
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½
cup pumpkin seeds
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2
cups lightly packed fresh cilantro
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1
ounce cotija cheese, crumbled (¼ cup)
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1
chipotle chili in adobo sauce
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1
teaspoon grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice
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1
medium garlic clove, smashed and peeled
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Kosher salt and ground black pepper
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¼
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01In a food processor, combine the pumpkin seeds, cilantro, cotija, chipotle chili, lime zest and juice, garlic and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until roughly chopped, 5 to 10 pulses, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the oil and pulse until incorporated, 5 to 10 pulses. Transfer to a small bowl, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Sounds really good- wondering if the pumpkin seeds are toasted or raw. Thanks!