One-Pot Chayote Pasta with Cilantro Pesto - Washington Dairy

One-Pot Chayote Pasta with Cilantro Pesto

4 servings

Ingredients:

Warm up this fall and cozy up next to a big bowl of cilantro pesto pasta!

This seasonal dish is made with shaved Chayote (or cho-cho), a unique squash from your local farmers market. Top it off with Appel Farms Parmesan and toasted pumpkin seeds for added crunch!


One-Pot Shaved Chayote Pasta with Cilantro Pesto

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves and stems
  • ½ cup grated Appel Farms Parmesan (2oz), plus more for serving
  • ⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, plus more for serving
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 chayote squash, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 12oz cavatappi pasta
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced crosswise
Directions:
  1. In a food processor combine cilantro, Parmesan, pumpkin seeds, garlic, and salt. Pulse until everything is finely ground. With machine running, add oil in a thin, steady stream until incorporated.
  2. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to shave chayote into ⅛” thick ribbons and set aside.
  3. In a large saucepan or pot combine pasta, stock, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer gently, partially covered, for 10-12 minutes or nearly al dente. Stir occasionally. Stir in chayote and cook until pasta and chayote are tender but still firm, about 5 minutes more. If liquid has evaporated before pasta is tender, add more stock or water and continue to cook until tender.
  4. Take saucepan off the heat and stir in pesto. Transfer to a serving dish, grate more Parmesan on top, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

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