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Spaghetti with Swiss chard, cilantro, and cashew pesto and goat cheese

by:
January 28, 2014
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Spaghetti with Swiss chard, cilantro, and cashew pesto and goat cheese
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

A nutty, fresh twist on the classic basil pesto —laura kinsey

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1/2 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed
  • 1/2 serrano chile, seeded
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup olive oil (plus/minus a couple tablespoons)
  • 1 packet spaghetti, cooked
Directions
  1. Combine cilantro, chard, chile, almonds, garlic clove, salt, lemon zest and juice into a food processor or vitamix.
  2. Pulse to form a coarse puree.
  3. Add olive oil slowly with food processor/blender running. You may need a little more or less than 1 cup, depending on the size of the cilantro bunch.
  4. Once it starts to look combined, add the goat cheese, 2 ounces at a time. (Note: The goat cheese will give the pesto a creamier, smoother look than typical pesto.)
  5. Transfer pesto to a mixing bowl.
  6. Cook spaghetti according to directions on box.
  7. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to pesto, toss to coat. Add some of the pasta cooking liquid if necessary to loosen it up.
  8. Serve immediately with torn cilantro leaves and chopped cashews
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1 Review

Risottogirl
Risottogirl June 21, 2015
Almonds in step 1 but not in ingredient list.