Bok Choy Pesto with Cilantro

Bok choy pesto with cilantro and sesame is an excellent Asian fusion pesto sauce perfect for a dip or to serve with pasta.

I’m a huge fan of the traditional Italian pesto sauce. It’s so versatile and can be used in pasta, salad dressings, even pizza. I’m always surprised when I find young kids eating pesto sauce. We don’t give our kids or their taste buds much credit.

In an effort to mix things up and make our meals more healthy, I’m sharing a twist on my beloved pesto, this Bok Choy Pesto with cilantro. A little asian fusion.

Why you should try this recipe

Traditional pesto is made with basil, garlic and pine nuts. It is a wonderful flavor, but you can easily find that any greens can be used to make other kinds of non-traditional pesto sauce.

I have added spinach to pesto, for example, and have used different herbs. I really loved the flavors in my tarragon and kale pesto. Tarragon adds some bite compared to basil and I used walnuts instead of pine nuts.

This pesto has more of an Asian influence. The green base is made with cilantro and baby bok choy. I’ve also added garlic, ginger, olive oil, and sesame oil. Boy, does it smell heavenly!

You can use this pesto sauce with regular ‘ole spaghetti or even some chow mein or udon noodles, to keep things interesting.

My kids loved this sauce. Again, any pesto you come up with is so versatile. You can even use it as a dipping sauce with some pita bread.

Ingredients you need

• Bok choy: I used baby bok choy, but you can use any variety.
• Cilantro: If you are not a fan of fresh cilantro then try using Thai basil or regular basil.
• Flavors: Fresh garlic and ginger are used for to add more flavor to this pesto. Avoid using dried garlic and ginger.
• Lemon juice: You can use freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Use a high quality olive oil. You can choose a peppery or pungent oil if you like, or a milder flavor oil.
• Sesame oil: I added a touch of sesame oil to continue with the Asian theme.
• Sesame seeds: I used this as a garnish.
• Salt and pepper

Step-by-step directions

1. In a food processor, purée box choy, cilantro, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth. While the machine is running, mix in olive oil and sesame oil until sauce is smooth and creamy.

Transfer sauce to a bowl and stir in sesame seeds.

Recipe tips and FAQs

As I stated earlier, this pesto is terrific with pasta or as a dipping sauce with veggies, chips or pita bread. It has tremendous flavor and is a refreshing change from traditional Italian pesto.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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