Whether you’re cooking pasta, seafood, chicken, or want to make your veggies sing, a spoonful of pesto adds so much flavor! Here are my favorite pesto recipes, plus 4 pesto recipes that go beyond basil!
More like pesto than basil
When I hear the word pesto, my mind immediately goes to Pesto alla Genovese, commonly known as basil pesto, but there are many variations on this classic sauce and endless ways to use pesto of all kinds.
You can replace the pine nuts in the recipe with walnuts, or swap out the basil for other mild green herbs (I like this cilantro option more than the fish!). Pesto recipes are so adaptable they can be reimagined!
I like to keep things interesting, so I wanted to share some of my favorite pesto recipes that include everything from lemon to sun-dried tomatoes. You can use any of these in place of pesto recipes in the following dishes! Try something new for you; you might find an unexpected addition to your weekly dinner rotation.
- Trapani pesto: Sicily’s pesto swaps pine nuts for almonds and adds cherry tomatoes for sweetness and body. My version also has mint and arugula, which give this almond pesto a herby kick.
- Light Lemon Pesto: Three whole lemons—peel and all—mixed with garlic, pine nuts, and Parmigiano-Reggiano make a tangy citrus pesto. It has an electric brightness that’s especially welcome drizzled over sweet roasted vegetables or spooned over baked flounder.
- Pesto from sun-dried tomatoes: Another Sicilian pesto known as pesto rosso, red pesto, swaps fresh herbs for sun-dried tomatoes, so you can make it any time of year!
- Carrot paste: Don’t drop those carrot leaves! Mixed with pistachios, garlic and a pinch of lemon juice, carrot tops make a pesto that’s just as effective as the classic one.
Pesto pasta
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Another weeknight favorite that’s also great for entertaining is a pesto pasta topped with sweet seared shrimp and cherry tomato jam. Tender baby spinach gets tangled in spaghetti and sauce. Serve it to loved ones with a Caesar salad and a delicious Limoncello cake for dessert.
Pasta with chicken pesto
Pesto is a quick and easy base for a creamy basil pasta sauce! Paired with chunks of juicy chicken, this hearty restaurant-style dish is one of my go-to date night favorites. A bright and crisp salad with lemon and parmesan is perfect with it.
Pesto pasta salad
Pesto Dressed Fusilli with Summer Zucchini, Snow Peas and Cherry Tomatoes is equally good warm or chilled and served as a pasta salad. Add cannellini beans or a simple grilled chicken breast to make it a meal.
Pesto gnocchi with summer vegetables
Pan-fried store-bought gnocchi give these little potato dumplings a lovely crispy golden crust before they’re tossed with roasted zucchini, bell peppers, grape tomatoes, spinach and a generous dollop of pesto. It’s a colorful one-pot vegetarian dinner where the pesto ties everything together. Make your own gnocchi for an even more heavenly result!
Pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes and mozzarella
Roasted cherry tomatoes concentrate their sweetness, and adding them to pasta topped with basil pesto with milk mozzarella pearls makes for an easy weeknight meal. Add poached chicken or grilled salmon for a protein boost!
Ravioli with creamy pesto
Five ingredients and 10 minutes are all you need for this easy meal! I boil store-bought cheese ravioli and frozen peas together, then add their pesto and just a splash of heavy cream. The silky herb sauce clings to each ravioli pillow. Serve it with a white bean salad or cherry tomato salad.
Meat and seafood recipes with pesto
Pesto breakfast
This is the breakfast sandwich you’d get at a fancy brunch. Pesto on toasted ciabatta, tender prosciutto, peppery arugula and a fried egg. The crowning touch is a quick sun-dried tomato filling. Don’t leave this sandwich for breakfast; it’s equally good for dinner and lunch!
Creamy chicken and vegetable pesto
Pesto transforms a simple dinner of chicken breasts and sautéed vegetables into something that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it actually did. This 20-minute (and one-pan!) recipe is a weeknight hero. Serve it over a quick skillet over rice or an equally quick roasted tomato orzo!
Baked Chilean sea bass with pesto and cherry tomatoes
Baking this soft, oily fish in foil preserves its tenderness. As soon as it comes out of the oven, you’ll want a generous layer of pesto and a dollop of juicy little tomatoes! I serve this buttery fish with a morula salad (Greek lettuce salad) or a chopped cucumber salad.
Salmon pesto
A layer of basil pesto helps anchor the panko breadcrumbs to the salmon fillets, giving them a crispy herbed crust. It’s a 15-minute lunch that can be paired with any sautéed vegetable. A substantial salad like our Greek Potato Salad is another great option.
Vegetarian pesto recipes
Roasted Vegetable Pesto Sandwich
Pesto paired with creamy ricotta adds interest to a roasted eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper sandwich on toasted ciabatta. It’s especially good with sun-dried tomato pesto!
Stewed chickpeas with pesto
Pesto adds shine to canned chickpeas. A garnish of fried lemon rings and sliced jalapeño adds elegance, but it’s the pesto that defines the dish. I love this chickpea stew as an unexpected appetizer followed by an easy main, like one-pan baked halibut with vegetables.
Lemon Orzo Pesto Soup
A basic broth and some orzo make a simple, hearty soup of pesto, baby spinach and tomatoes. The combination of lemon and milk in the broth adds dimension, like a quick version of augalemon. I like to serve this with crusty homemade garlic bread.
Pestov eggs
Carefully frying the eggs sunny side up in the pesto gives them a garlicky, herbaceous flavor. I like to pile them on toast (or a whole roasted sweet potato) with diced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. It’s a quick breakfast or slaw (breakfast for dinner) with the flavor profile of a caprese salad.
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The post 14 Easy Pesto Recipes to Improve Dinner appeared first on The Mediterranean Dish.
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