I didn’t use to like cilantro. In every bite of a dish utilizing cilantro, all I could ever taste was the cilantro. It was too strong for me, and still is if I don’t cut up the leaves into tiny little pieces. I learned to start to like cilantro when I was introduced to the Tandori Naan Pizza’s cilantro pesto pizza with tomatoes. This recipe is a mimic of that frozen pizza. I don’t make it on naan bread, and I don’t always add tomatoes, but this recipe still has the punch of flavor that I loved from the frozen pizza!
It took me many attempts to get the spicy flavor I was looking for in the cilantro pesto. Some of you cooking geniuses will know this, but I didn’t. The stem has a very different flavor from the leaves! I love the flavor of the stem because it is zingy and spicy. In this pesto, I use both the stem and the leaves and it balances well for a spicy, citrus-y, fresh pesto. 
Recommendations for Cilantro Pesto Pizza:
- If you want a less spicy pesto, leaving the jalapenos out won’t do it. Cut back and use only a portion of the stems from your bunch of cilantro.
- I like using whole wheat pizza crust, but you could use naan bread or even tortillas to make individual pizzas more like the frozen Tandori naan pizzas.
- Go crazy with your favorite pizza toppings. I usually keep this pizza simple with cheese only or just sliced tomatoes to let the cilantro really shine. Other toppings I may someday try include: roasted corn, red peppers, red onion, and/or sliced mangoes!
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems included
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 TBS sliced almonds
- 1 jalapeno, or ¼ cup frozen jalapeno
- 1 TBS lime juice
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1 lb whole wheat pizza dough
- 1 roma tomato, sliced
- 1 ½ cups cheese, shredded (white cheeses like mozzarella, Parmesan, etc.)
- Preheat oven to 425°F with a pizza stone.
- Process cilantro through jalapeno in food processor until finely chopped.
- Add liquid though shoot and process until smooth.
- Press the pizza dough out into a 12 inch circle.
- Spread pesto over prepared pizza dough. Top with cheese and sliced tomatoes.
- Cook in preheated oven for 12 minutes or until cheese is browned. Cut into slices.
Recipe inspired by Tandori Chef frozen pizzas.
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