Sunflower Seed-Crusted Pork Paillards With Cilantro Pesto

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Use sunflower seeds alternatively of conifer nuts, cilantro alternatively of basil, anejo food alternatively of Parmesan and what person you got? A Mexican pesto that has a small much assemblage than its classical counterpart.

Here, we've extended the salty crunch of the sunflower seeds by utilizing them to overgarment pounded medallions of pork tenderloin. They'll navigator fast; successful astir the clip it takes to marque the pesto.

You'll person tons much pesto than needed for this dish, and that's a bully thing. This pesto would beryllium large stirred into scrambled eggs oregon arsenic a brushed furniture for eggs Benedict, arsenic mix-in for acold pasta salads oregon a dip for vegetables. It tin beryllium refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Serve with a maize and achromatic legume salad.

The pesto look is from "Fresh Mexico: 100 Simple Recipes for True Mexican Flavor" by Marcela Valladolid (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin oregon boneless pork chops
1/2 cupful to 3/4 cupful olive oil, positive 1 oregon 2 tablespoons for the skillet
Kosher salt
Freshly crushed achromatic pepper
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) roasted sunflower seeds
2/3 cupful crisp fried onions, specified arsenic Lars Own brand
1 clump cilantro
1/2 jalapeño pepper
1 oregon 2 limes
3/4 cupful (4 ounces) crumbled añejo food (may substitute feta cheese)

Nutritional Facts

Per serving (using 2 tablespoons of the pesto)

Calories
391
Fat
27 g
Saturated Fat
6 g
Carbohydrates
3 g
Sodium
182 mg
Cholesterol
99 mg
Protein
33 g
Fiber
1 g
Sugar
1 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

The pesto look is from "Fresh Mexico: 100 Simple Recipes for True Mexican Flavor" by Marcela Valladolid (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick and Kari Sonde.

Published March 13, 2026