Enjoy your favorite pesto in these healthy Recipes Using Pesto. Each summer, I grow basil, mint, cilantro and parsley in my container garden. I love making fresh pesto using these herbs and often add leafy greens such as kale and Swiss chard.
Traditional pesto is made with basil; however, I love adding leafy green vegetables to pesto. It all started as a sneaky way to get my boys to eat kale and Swiss chard. However, I soon found it was also a great way to make a big batch of pesto when I didn’t have enough basil.
Pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan-Reggiano are also traditionally used in pesto recipes. However, I substitute whatever nuts I have on hand, e.g., hazelnuts, almonds, and walnuts, I also use garlic scapes in place of garlic cloves when available. For dairy-free guests, I leave the cheese out of the pesto and serve parmesan cheese on the side.
Summer is coming to an end, so grab as much fresh basil as you can and make a batch of pesto. Pesto can be frozen in small portions, and taken out to stir into different recipes. I usually line a baking sheet with plastic wrap, dollop spoonfuls of pesto on top, and freeze until firm. Once firm, I transfer all the frozen portions of pesto to a freezer-friendly plastic bag, and label it. You can also freeze in an ice cube tray.
Kale Basil Garlic Scape Pistachio Pesto
Garlic Scape Cilantro Swiss Chard Pesto
Pesto is a versatile condiment that can be stirred into almost any pasta dish. However, there are so many other uses. I’ve put together this collection of recipes using pesto that I’ve made over the years. Feel free to substitute your favorite pesto in any of these recipes.
Clams With Pesto (serve with crusty bread or over pasta)
(Stir pesto into this White Clam Sauce recipe)
(with fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, and pesto)
Cool Noodles with Pesto and Sweet Spicy Soy Sesame Dressing
Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa, Grilled Vegetables and Pesto Sauce
Pasta with Pesto, Fresh Tomatoes, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Chicken and Mozzarella Cheese
Grilled Chili Garlic Shrimp with Pesto Pasta
Fresh Tomato Mozzarella Pesto Pasta Salad
Grilled Asparagus with Mint Feta Pesto
Tomato Corn Potato Sausage Pesto Frittata
Fresh Tomato Burrata Pesto Dip
Ahi Tuna Spinach Avocado Pesto Sandwich
Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Pesto
- Toss pesto with Pasta, Grilled Chicken and Steamed Broccoli
- Stir pesto into your favorite pasta sauce or this easy Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce
- Spread pesto on Grilled Chicken Breast, top with fresh Mozzarella Cheese and bake until cheese is melted
- Spread pesto on fresh Fish filets and bake
- Stir into Tomato Soup or White Bean Soup
