Today I am sharing what to make with pesto – there are so many different ways to incorporate pesto into recipes, and they are all delicious.
Basil is growing like crazy this time of year, and the best thing to make with it is pesto! It’s quick and easy to make – you just need five minutes and a food processor. The best thing about pesto is that it freezes well so that you can enjoy the taste of fresh basil even after the summer has ended.
I have rounded up my favorite pesto recipes, recipes to make with pesto, and simple ways to use pesto to make a meal a little bit more special.
Pesto Recipes:
Classic Pesto
Classic pesto is made with basil, garlic, parmesan, and pine nuts.
Lemon and Roasted Broccoli Pesto
This pesto is made with roasted broccoli and broccoli rabe plus all of the classic pesto ingredients and is a sneaky way to add more veggies to your meal.
Easy Avocado Pesto
Adding avocado to pesto makes it extra creamy!
What to Make with Pesto:
What to Make with Pesto
A collection of recipes that all use pesto as an ingredient! So many recipes can get a flavor boost from a little pesto! I have gathered my favorite appetizer, breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes that are made with pesto!
Brush a square of puff pastry dough with pesto, add asparagus, an egg, and some cheese and bake. It's a beautiful breakfast that is so easy to make.
Spread pesto over fresh tomatoes, sprinkle with cheese, and roast. Then pair with fresh mozzarella for a fun twist on a classic caprese salad.
Inspired by my go-to brunch at a restaurant that has since left my neighborhood, this omelet has mushrooms, goat cheese, and is finished with a touch of pesto. It's the ideal breakfast.
Coat pasta in pesto, add some roasted tomatoes and cheese and you have a quick and easy pasta that can be served as a main dish or a side.
Top Eggs Benedict with pesto! It's so much easier than making hollandaise sauce, but just as delicious. Serve the eggs over english muffins or thick slices of tomato.
Spread a thick layer of pesto over pizza dough, naan, or pita bread and add eggs, cheese, and tomatoes and bake.
Use pesto on a salad bowl instead of salad dressing. This one has roasted chicken, broccoli and tomatoes, quinoa, and parmesan. It's perfect for meal prepping.
This crispy chicken gets coated in pesto and then breadcrumbs. It's similar to chicken parm, but with an extra burst of basil flavor.
Garlic knots are even better when they are filled with pesto and mozzarella. The best part is that this recipe is made with store-bought pizza dough!
Serve this couscous salad hot or chilled. Sometimes I make a big batch and eat it for lunch throughout the week.
This pizza is made with naan, pesto, whipped feta, tomatoes, and pine nuts. The active preparation time is just 5 minutes! It's a great quick lunch or dinner recipe.
Hash browns are seasoned with pesto, cooked in the shape of a nest, and filled with an egg.
More Ways to Serve Pesto:
Pour pesto over pasta
This is the most classic way to serve pesto. Cook your favorite pasta, heat some pesto and pour it over the cooked pasta.
Add pesto to a sandwich
Pesto belongs on sandwiches. Especially turkey sandwiches. You can either just use pesto, or you can add pesto to mayonnaise.
Add it to a charcuterie board
It goes perfectly with cheese and bread! I love it with fresh ricotta.
Drizzle over scrambled eggs
This is such an easy way to make simple scrambled eggs seem fancy!
Put it on pizza
I love using pesto instead of tomato sauce when I make pizzas. I like to use pesto, fresh mozzarella, and slices of tomato to top a pizza.
Stir it into hummus
This might sound a little odd, but it is incredible. You can simply buy hummus and buy pesto and combine the two, the pesto swirled into the hummus is really pretty too!