Reduce food waste: make pesto

Cilantro. Basil. Spinach. Kale. Arugula. Sage. Mint. Did you know you can make pesto out of most herbs and leafy greens? Holy shit balls. Game changer.

If you have ever bought a huge bushel of cilantro for taco night, used 4 sprigs and said, “Now what am I supposed to do with it?” This recipe is for you.

Cilantro is a prime culprit of food waste. Why do grocery stores sell so much of it when we only need 4 sprigs?? I can’t possibly eat that much cilantro before it goes bad.

Turns out you can. Make pesto out of your cilantro and freeze it. Before reading this eHow article, I thought pesto was exclusively made out of basil, but it turns out any herb or leafy green will do. In the same article there is a link to a super quick video on how to make tasty pesto varieties.

The only kitchen tool you will need is a food processor or a blender. You could probably get away with using a knife and cutting board too, although I haven’t personally tried it. The recipe is super simple too.

3 cups herbs or leafy greens

2/3 cup nuts

5 garlic cloves

2/3 cup cheese

2/3 cup olive oil

Salt

Mix and match with different combinations and let me know what you think. So far my favorite is cilantro, cashews, and parmesan. But that seems to be what I always have in my kitchen to spare.

Oh and just in case you don’t already know, you can put pesto on anything and everything. Make a pizza sauce, pasta sauce, bruschetta, dip, or spread for sandwiches.

Before you let the next bushel of herbs go to waste, try your hand at making some delicious pesto sauce.