I drove home for my mother’s birthday party on Sunday. It’s a relatively long drive from Kansas City to Oklahoma City, a straight shoot down I-35 that makes me sleepy with monotony. Cookie and I finally arrived, five long hours later, and I got a couple of hugs on my way to my room for a nap. I woke up to eat pizza on the back porch, after which my grandmother served the blueberry froyo that she made with my aunt. Note to self: I should tell you all more about my rad 80-year-old grandmother someday.
Home has been nice. I’ve been soaking up family time and catching up with old friends. I’ve also made sure to visit my favorite Mexican restaurants, because I just haven’t found a Kansas City Mexican place that serves meals like this. On our evening walks, I have been reminded that Oklahomans are the friendliest of people. Hellos and smiles all around.
I whipped up this meal a few days before I left home. The pesto has a bit of a Mexican flair thanks to cilantro, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and jalapeño. It’s more flavorful than spicy, and it has won a special place in my heart along with all the other herb sauces that I hold dear (avocado chimichurri, salsa verde, tahini-dill dressing, savory dill-basil yogurt and lemon citronette).
I know there are plenty of cilantro haters out there (I’m a lover, myself) but you could swap out the cilantro pesto for any of my others. The squash noodles lighten up a traditionally carb-heavy pesto and pasta dish. Finally, I can chomp on tons of noodles and not feel like I’m digesting a bowling ball afterward!
I’ve been playing with my new kitchen toy lately, a julienne peeler
. I had it on my wishlist for a while, but after Laura endorsed it alongside this cucumber watermelon stunner, it promptly landed in my mailbox. (You are reading Laura’s blog, The First Mess, right? It’s marvelous; she’s marvelous.)
So far, I’ve used my handy little peeler to make these squash noodles, and to quickly transform whole carrots into pretty orange strands for coleslaw. I’m going after a cucumber next. You should probably get one so we can throw a vegetable noodle party or take a cue from Laura and instagram our fancy lady lunches. But don’t worry if you don’t have one yet, because I’ve provided alternative slicing methods in the recipe below.
Cilantro-Pepita Pesto with Squash Ribbons and Fettuccine
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Italian
Super flavorful cilantro-pepita pesto tossed with fettuccine and julienned summer squash makes a light and simple meal. You could skip the pasta altogether for a even lighter, gluten-free meal, but I liked the pasta-squash combination best.
Ingredients
Cilantro-pepita pesto
- ⅓ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 cup packed cilantro (mostly leaves, about 2 bunches’ worth)
- 2 teaspoons seeded and roughly chopped jalapeño
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pasta and squash ribbons
- 8 ounces (½ pound) whole grain fettuccine or linguine
- 2 small zucchini
- 1 yellow squash
Instructions
- Lightly toast the pepitas in a small pan over medium-low heat for a few minutes, tossing frequently, until fragrant. Transfer the pepitas to a bowl to cool a bit.
- Remove any discolored skin from the squash with a paring knife. Use a julienne peeler (or regular peeler) to slice the squash lengthwise, one side at a time (stop once you get to the seeded part, then turn the squash to work on the next side).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook fettuccine until al dente, according to the package’s instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine the cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, salt and cooled pepitas. While running the food processor, drizzle in the olive oil. Stop processing once the pesto is well blended.
- Toss the cooked pasta and ribboned squash with the pesto and serve.
Notes
- Pesto recipe based on Shutterbean’s pepita pesto pasta with roasted squash. You might also like 101 Cookbooks’ pepita salad recipe.
- If you don’t have a julienne peeler, you can use a regular vegetable peeler to make squash ribbons as directed below, or slice the squash into super thin rounds with a sharp knife (in which case, you might prefer rotini or penne pasta instead of fettuccine/linguine).
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days. Expect the squash to lose a little moisture, but the leftovers will still be very good. Serve chilled, or at room temperature, or gently reheated… it’s good any way.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
dana
GORG
Alissa
Combining pasta and sqash noodles…I’m having a “why did I never think of that” moment. I love my zucchini noodles, but sometimes just need a little carb fix to go with them. This sounds perfect, and that pesto looks amazing.
Julie T
Same here, Alyssa! :D
★★★★
Ruthy @ Omeletta
Such a great idea- I love how you lightened up your pasta with squash noodles! I just received a huge spaghetti squash from the CSA- since I don’t have a julienne peeler to play with, that might have to be the next best thing.
Ashley
Absolutely love the simplicity and all of the GREEN!
Nicole
I love the idea of a mix of pasta and squash ribbons! And I must add that peeler to my wish-list :)
Laura
Pssssht you are my favourite fancy lady. Look at this gorgeousness! Your julienne peeler is so boss looking too. And I loooove that you mixed the zuch with some legit pasta. Just made celeriac ones with my peeler yesterday. TOTAL win. Veggie noodling movement is so, so officially on :) xo
Kate
Veggie noodles for the win! Thanks for getting me hooked, fancy lady.
Sara
Thank you for showing that pesto doesn’t need to contain cheese to be delicious! So excited to try this – and using pepitas will keep it much cheaper than using pine nuts!
Kate
Such good points, Sara! Hope you love the pesto. I tried it with Parmesan but I actually liked it better without!
Maria Tadic
I have the same julienne grater! I love it and I always add some squash or zucchini to my pasta – that way I can eat more! This pesto looks awesome – I’ve never made anything outside of the traditional basil pesto!
Kate
Maria, I hope you’ll try this pesto soon! I love every variation on pesto I’ve ever tried—arugula, kale, cilantro, it’s all good.
hani/haniela's
This sounds so yummy. I’m on a pesto quick and I just bought some pumpkin seeds and now I’m excited to try this. Thanks for the recipe!
hani/haniela's
I mean kick on quick..on a pesto kick.
Lindsey
I am a recent cilantro convert after not liking it my entire life, so I am totally making this! Stunning photos, just lovely!
I just got my julienne peeler, thanks to Laura’s post as well! The minute I got it I took to a yam and made baked potato strings! That thing is going to change lives.
Karen@Mignardise
It’s all genius! The cilantro, the pepitas (which I happen to have) and the peppers (which are growing like crazy on my porch) and the squash/pasta mix. Thanks so much for an awesome idea!
Kate
You’re welcome, Karen! Hope you love the flavors in this dish as much as I do.
Tieghan
So pretty! I loving using pepitas as a base to pesto and I am a cilantro lover so this just sound amazing!
Joanne
I really love that you’ve mixed the squash noodles with regular noodles…so that you still get that carby feel but in a lighter way! Have fun at home!
laurasmess
I’ve always loved cilantro, or coriander as we call it over here (in Ozland!). It’s such a deliciously fragrant, delicious herb and I can imagine that it would pair beautifully with the jalapeno and pepitas. Would you ever add any cheese? I imagine that some crumbled feta or that-Mexican-cheese-with-a-name-that-evades-me-right-now would be lovely! Glad you had a fantastic time with your family (your gran does sound amazing!) xx
Kate
Hey Laura, good question on the cheese. I tried adding some Parmesan, and I didn’t think it added much. I also sprinkled on some feta, which was good, but I didn’t think it was necessary. I think the name of the cheese you’re looking for is cotija, and yes, I bet that would be good, too!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
I love cilantro so why have I never made pesto with it?! Craving this!
YoungMild&Free
I was looking for a pesto recipe the other day to add to paninis, and this one sounds like a winner! I will have to try this out soon. Thank you for sharing!
Kate
This pesto would give those paninis some kick! Hope you love it.
thelittleloaf
I love my julienne peeler too – makes courgette or squash so delicious and easy to eat. Love that you’ve included real pasta in as well as the squash – I find on it’s own I don’t really feel like I’ve eaten a proper meal.
Sini
This pasta dish looks fabulous! I love to add zucchini ribbons to my pasta too! More veggies, less pasta – and you don’t even realize it! I’ve never made nor have I ever tasted pepita pesto. Have to try this soon.
Kate
Thanks, Sini! Glad you’re on board with the squash/pasta combo. Hope you’ll try the pesto soon!
Maria
I think we will make this for dinner tomorrow. It looks perfect!
Kate
Hope you love it, Maria! Tell Josh and Caleb hi for me. :)
Stefanie
Stunning! Friggen stunning! I am a fellow cilantro lover. I need one of those peelers so I can make this.
Kate
Thanks, Stefanie! That peeler is so fun.
Sophie
You make food the prettiest, ever! I love reading your posts. I have a mandoline slicer with a julienne blade that I LOVE. It’s almost dull from overuse. Thankfully they are inexpensive on Amazon :) I want to try this! I love zucchini noodles mixed with pasta, and the pepitas, cilantro and jalapeno sound wonderful. Did you survive the long drive home, too? I strongly dislike long drives. I just want to be there, already.
Kate
Thank you, Sophie! :) I have been tempted to buy a mandoline slicer but I am entirely convinced that I’ll lose a fingertip using it. I’m pretty absentminded and clumsy. And yes, I did survive the long ride, thank you for asking! I will definitely bring along a captivating audiobook next time. They make the time go by so much faster!
Melissa King
I don’t each much pasta because of the high carb count. I love that you lightened yours up with zucchini! Pinned!
Claire
Yes!
This is brilliant and can’t wait to make.
Kate
Thanks, Claire! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It’s always so nice to hear from you!
Claire
Kate,
I made this last night and man was it delicious! I love finding these kinda recipes because it justifies my purchase of a spiralizer. (Don’t waste your money) Mine was extra spicy because I just threw in the whole jalapeno. I know this is a veggie site, but next time we are going to throw grilled chicken on top. That combo would be so delicious with these flavors. Brava!
★★★★★
Kate
Awesome, glad you loved the pesto, Claire! I thought about getting a spiralizer but I really don’t have any room for it. Good to know that you don’t recommend it. I’ll stick with my julienne peeler!
Chelsea Preedy
I am a huge sucker for pesto, so I find this recipe so interesting. The pepitas and cilantro would add such a nice flavor. Thanks for sharing!
Steph
I just placed an order for a julienne peeler so I could make this. It looks absolutely wonderful, and I’m so happy when I see recipes for pesto without tree nuts. (It’s no fun being allergic to most of them!)
Kate
Hope you have as much fun with the julienne peeler as I have been, Steph! I’m also glad that you can enjoy this pesto. I think you could sub pepitas in most pesto recipes, if you enjoy their flavor!
Shepherds Pie Blog
I have such a weakness for pesto. Can’t wait to try this variation! Also – a great way to use the seeds from future pumpkin carving!
Christine
Reading this gave me a delicious idea: I am going to make your pumpkin fettuccine sauce to serve over squash noodles! Oh, I can barely wait. Thanks for the inspiration.
Kate
Oh, that’s a great idea! Please let me know how it turns out!
Mia
I made this last night and the cilantro-loving boyfriend LOVED it. I think I added a little too much jalepeño, so the pesto had quite a kick.
This could be really good with some grilled pineapple? I know, crazy talk, but it would add a little sweetness and a little extra texture. As always, thanks for the recipe, Kate! My guy thinks I’m a great cook, but in reality I just ONLY cook your recipes for him. Shh….
★★★★
Kate
Hey Mia! So awesome that you’re cooking up my recipes for your guy! Glad you enjoyed this one. I’m kind of obsessed with your grilled pineapple idea… to be continued…
MarryM
I combined this recipe with a similar recipe from tastewiththeyes.com
Her recipe uses charred avocado and black beans. The addition of the squash and pepitas was a happy pairing. I also added the squash in with the pasta for the last 30 seconds. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Marry!
Amanda F
Not only was this delicious when I made it, the leftovers were just as good – a major plus for me because I always want to have good leftovers to bring to work for lunch. I added some roasted sweet potato to one of my portions of leftovers and the flavors worked well together. I know this has been up for awhile, but thanks for another great recipe Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Amanda! Glad you enjoyed it! Love the idea of adding sweet potato.
Diane
I’ve decided to try to get my family to eat healthier food, so I set out to find a few recipes online that I thought they might enjoy. This was number one on my list. I made it last night and everyone loved it!!! My teenagers were a bit reluctant to try it, but after they finally took a bite they were pleasantly surprised. In fact, those were the exact words my said used…Pleasantly surprised. Fantastic recipe! Thank you for sharing! Tonight I’m going to try your Roasted Red Pepper And Tomato Soup.
★★★★★
Melanie
Fantastic. I spiralized the squash and heated it up in a little bit of oil. Unfortunately very little leftovers for lunch the next day. Too good!
★★★★★
Kate
Oh no! Looks like a double batch is in order for next time. :)
Natalie
I made this with a mixture of fresh tagliatelle and butternut squash noodles (as that’s what I had in the fridge). It was absolutely delicious. I can hardly wait to make it again! Thanks for the recipe.
Kate
Great! I’m glad you enjoyed this, Natalie.
Erin Thompson
Tasty. Had all the ingredients on hand and could use up some zucchini. Just used the regular peeler and cut them lengthwise into smaller pieces. Added some seeds and tomatoes on top. Quick and easy dish.
★★★★★
Kate
Great! Thaks, Erin!
Kathy Isaacs
I’m a ‘no cilantro’ kinda girl myself, so I did basil and a little sage as a base, but I added a smattering of young tender broccoli and kale leaves, plus sorrel, dandelion and purslane. Gentle and complex blend of flavours, and avoiding the parmesan was a great idea.
My 10yo didn’t like the zucchini ribbons, but he’s never liked squash; the rest of us enjoyed the lightness.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Kathy for sharing your variation and star review. It’s great to hear how you make it your own.
James
This was an easy and quick recipe. My pepitas and cilantro were cooked perfectly. Tried it with Veggie Pepper Fettuccine from Rossi Pasta. It worked like a charm and the flavor was incredible. Summer squash was the highlight of the dish. Yum! Thanks Kate!
★★★★
Kate
Great!! Thank you, James.
Cat
I hated cilantro my whole life until september of last year. I’ve eaten cilantro here and there since, but this was the first time I BOUGHT (past me would find this scandalous) a bunch of cilantro and used it as the main ingredient in a recipe. My gut feeling was right, it was absolutely delicious. I love this simple, inexpensive, flavorful idea. And the zucchini is always a winner. Thanks a ton.
★★★★★
Kate
Win! I’m glad you tried it even though you weren’t a fan before. Thanks for the review and comment, Cat.
Claudia
Ugh this was so good, and inexpensive. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Claudia!
Julie Selvais
I always make pesto with pepitas, because of my nut allergy (allergic to al ground and tree nuts, including pine nuts, coconut and chestnut). People call me crazy, but this recipe shows that I’m not :-)
★★★★
Kate
You’re not crazy! I love pepitas. :)
Ashley Barrett
Really good. I made things slightly more difficult for myself by sauteeing a finely sliced onion and some halved cherry tomatoes, and then dumping my pesto into that pan and cooking it for a few minutes, to mellow out the garlic in it as my toddler gets a bit finnicky with the amount of garlic I like to put in a pesto. Otherwise made as is! I liked the tomato bits I added for brightness, but it certainly wasn’t needed. The simplicity of this recipe is part of the charm…the flavour is the other part!
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing your take, Ashley!
Anita Goel
What is yellow squash . I stay in India.
★★★★
Kate
Yellow squash look like zucchini, but yellow of course. You can substitute if you need, Anita.
Anita Goel
Thank you dear . Like your recipes. Not tried them as yet but will do soon . Can I have vegetarian recipes pls especially for breakfast
Sadye
This was delicious in a surprising way! Since we’re a spice-loving household, I might up the amount of jalapeno next time, but it certainly didn’t *need* more than the original proportion. Tip: Pair it with Gimme Some Oven’s everyday Mexican salad if you’ve already got tons of cilantro and pepitas, and then you can have pie for dessert without any guilt!
★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you through so, Sadye!
Meg
Hi there! Just a quick question, am i reading it correctly that the squash & zucchini ribbons are not cooked, you peel them and then they go right into the bowl with the pasta & pesto? thanks!
Kate
Correct, Meg!
Baggy
Hi Kate,
This recipe turned out GREAT. I added more vegetables like sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke just to jazz it up a little bit to my liking. Who would have known that cilantro pesto could be this delicious! I used cashew nut instead of pepita just for the fun of it.
Looking forward to trying out more of your vegan recipes.
★★★★★
Kate
I like it! Thanks for sharing, Baggy.
Elior
HI Kate,
This recipe looks amazing!
I have a question – can the pesto be made in advance? Or will it turn brown?
Let me know, looking forward!
Elior
Kate
It should hold-up fine! You can always try to freeze it. That’s work for my other recipes in the past. It might works for this one, depending how far in advance you want to make it.
Nicole
This pesto was so good! I had to keep my kid away because he kept grabbing tortilla chips to eat it with before it went on the pasta. This one is definitely going into the weeknight dinner rotation, thank you!
★★★★★
Mallory
My life is forever changed by this pesto alone
★★★★★
Bianca
My boyfriend and I love love LOVE this dish! I added one more jalapeño and half an avocado to the pesto. I sprinkled the final product with some cotija cheese. AMAZING. Thank you Kate!!!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Bianca! I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Mallory Crisp
SO FREAKING GOOD. trying to find a good way to sub some of the oil, maybe half water or aquafaba? I really don’t know. (I can’t have a ton of fat because my gall bladder is super sensitive to it during pregnancy)
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Mallory! I find you need the oil to help with flavor, cooking and to make this come together. I’m sorry to hear your sensitivities (but also congratulations!). You may be able to use some water in replace of the oil in the pesto, but I’m hesitant you will get a great result. I don’t know if aquafaba would be a great alternative here.
Mallory Crisp
I love this recipe! I have made it as written, and also without the oil. I usually stick to oil free recipes because I follow a whole food plant-based diet. But this looks so good I couldn’t resist! The way I have made this oil free is substituting the oil for avocado with a splash of water. The end result has a different consistency but the flavor is so similar since the avocado alone doesn’t have much flavor. Thank you once again Kate for your amazing recipes!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Mallory!