18 Best Recipes With Pesto to Use Up All That Basil
Ree says it best: "Pesto is everything!"
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No one loves pesto more than Ree Drummond. She once proclaimed: "Pesto is everything. I'm not exaggerating either—I truly believe it makes life worth living!" If you feel even a fraction of that love for the flavorful, basil-packed sauce, then you've come to the right place. Here, you'll find the most creative ways to use pesto, including everything from summer pastas to burger toppings. After all, summertime means basil, and basil means pesto! That's why you need a list of recipes with pesto to keep on hand all the way through fall .
If you grow your own basil, you know that it can proliferate whether you mean for it to or not. And while you can sprinkle a little bit on pretty much anything to make basil recipes over the summer, the best way to use it up and highlight its flavor is to make pesto from scratch. Then you can use it in everything and freeze some for the wintery months to add a pop of freshness to your dishes.
With that said, everything on this list can be made with store-bought pesto as well. It's one of those unspoken kitchen hacks that make life much so much easier and more flavorful as well. Running late for the potluck? Add a scoop into your pasta salads. Need something to liven up that sandwich for lunch? Spread it on thick. You can even throw it on your eggs in the morning for a quick fix before heading out for the day. Now that all your meals are covered, get ready to go green with these best pesto recipes.
Homemade Pesto
You can't really dive into a list of pesto recipes without starting with, well, pesto itself. This fresh and vibrant sauce comes together in minutes with basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil—and once you've made it from scratch, you'll never want to go back to store-bought.
Get the Homemade Pesto recipe.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Here's a spin on classic pesto that's rich and slightly tangy thanks to sun-dried tomatoes. Toss it with pasta, spread it on sandwiches, or use it as a topping for grilled chicken. It's versatile enough to work in just about anything you're cooking.
Get Ree's Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto recipe.
Pesto Chicken
Juicy chicken breasts meet a generous coating of herby pesto in this easy weeknight recipe. Serve it with pasta, over rice, or alongside roasted veggies for a fresh and flavorful dinner.
Get Ree's Pesto Chicken recipe.
Pasta With Zucchini Pesto
A lighter take on the traditional version, this pesto blends zucchini with basil for a veggie-packed sauce. It's tossed with pasta for a quick dinner that your entire family will love!
Get Ree's Pasta With Zucchini Pesto recipe.
Baked Spinach Ravioli with Pesto Cream Sauce
Two shortcuts—store-bought ravioli and jarred pesto—make this an easy weeknight win. The creamy sauce makes it feel like you worked a lot harder than you did!
Get Ree's Baked Spinach Ravioli with Pesto Cream Sauce recipe.
Spring Pea Pesto Pasta Salad
Ree once admitted she likes pasta salads with so many mix-ins you can barely see the pasta. This one proves her point! Tender peas, peppery arugula, prosciutto, and mozzarella get tossed in a generous coating of pesto so every bite is packed with flavor.
Get Ree's Spring Pea Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.
Pesto Pizza Baked Potatoes
All the flavors of pesto pizza, but tucked into a fluffy baked potato. Add a scoop of pesto and plenty of melty cheese and call it dinner.
Get Ree's Pesto Pizza Baked Potatoes recipe.
Pasta With Shrimp and Pistachio Pesto
Sweet shrimp and nutty pistachios make this pasta feel restaurant-worthy, but it's surprisingly easy to pull together at home. The pistachio pesto adds a unique richness you'll want to use again and again.
Get Ree's Pasta With Shrimp and Pistachio Pesto recipe.
Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants
It's hard to beat chicken salad for an easy lunch, but stirring in pesto takes it to a whole new level. Tucked into flaky croissants with a handful of fresh arugula, this sandwich works for casual weekends or a brunch spread.
Get Ree's Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants recipe.
Greek Pesto Pasta Salad
This pasta salad gets its flavor from a double hit: the pesto you expect plus Mediterranean favorites like feta, artichokes, cucumbers, and olives. It's colorful, full of texture, and comes together in about half an hour.
Get Ree's Greek Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.
Roasted Carrots with Spring Pesto
Okay, so technically the pesto in this recipe isn't made with basil. Try it with toasted almonds, fresh mint, and parsley! Or you could absolutely go with basil pesto if that's what you've got on hand.
Get Ree's Roasted Carrots with Spring Pesto recipe.
Rigatoni with Pesto Cream Sauce
The secret behind this creamy pasta dish isn't the pesto, it's actually goat cheese! The combo is a tangy match made in heaven. Bonus: You can serve this hot for dinner and cold as a pasta salad.
Get Ree's Rigatoni with Pesto Cream Sauce recipe.
Ham Sandwiches with Arugula and Pesto Mayo
It's official: Homemade pesto mayo will be your new favorite condiment. Paired with pickled onions and slices of honey ham, you'll never have a boring lunch every again.
Get Ree's Ham Sandwiches with Arugula and Pesto Mayo recipe.
Pesto Pizza with Arugula and Prosciutto
Nope, you don't need mozzarella for a good pizza. Try dollops of pesto with layers of fontina, ricotta, mushrooms, arugula, and prosciutto instead. Pizza night will never be the same again!
Pesto Caprese Panini
Flavorful sammie comin' right up! If you don't have a panini press at home, you can use a grill pan and press down with another pan to get the same crusty outside and gooey cheese pull.
Get Ree's Pesto Caprese Panini recipe.
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
So much flavor, so little time―you'll be shocked how quickly this meal comes together. Asparagus, shrimp, pesto, and pasta get mixed together with an extra sprinkle of parmesan at the end for good measure.
Get Ree's Shrimp Pesto Pasta recipe.
One-Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta
As much as you might love chicken, you have to admit that sometimes it's a little boring. Well, tomatoes, pesto, and a generous helping of parmesan grated on top will fix that.
Get the One-Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta recipe.
Spinach Basil Pesto Risotto
Look at all that creamy green goodness! Spinach not only adds color but lots of vitamins, too. It's a great way to hide veggies if you have picky kids. They'll just focus on the flavor.
Get the Spinach Basil Pesto Risotto recipe.
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