188 basil pesto recipes

Chilled pasta shells layered with basil pesto, spinach, Roma tomatoes, black olives, and shrimp. This make-ahead Italian pasta salad is a crowd-pleasing potluck star that only gets better as it sits.

A pesto-slathered pizza topped with fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan, sliced Roma tomatoes, and fresh basil on a Boboli crust. Three cheeses, ten minutes, zero leftovers.

Provencal-style vegetable stew with roasted peppers, salted eggplant, zucchini, and potatoes simmered in a pesto-spiked tomato broth. Topped with Parmesan, basil, and parsley.

Hearty Italian minestrone packed with beans, eggplant, zucchini, spinach, cabbage, and pasta, topped with a bright homemade basil pesto. A one-pot vegetable soup that eats like a meal.

Fall off the bone lamb with sweet capsicum (bell pepper) and tomatoes. Stand a shank on top of a 'mountain' of garlic mash potato in a bowl; ladle bell peppers and soupy stock all around. Mop up with crusty bread

Ricotta pesto gnocchi with semolina flour, served in a roasted garlic broth and garnished with basil, tomato, Parmesan, and pine nuts. A chef-level Italian pasta course.

Overnight breakfast strata layered with prosciutto, basil torta cheese, arugula, ripe tomatoes, and pesto-soaked French bread. Assemble the night before, bake until puffy and golden, and serve a crowd-worthy brunch.

Vegan pesto tofu manicotti: shells stuffed with mashed soft tofu, basil pesto, scallions, peppers, and mushrooms. Topped with marinara and shredded soy mozzarella, baked until bubbly. Plant-based dinner-party comfort food.

Sausages Mediterranean style, a fast one-pan skillet of browned sausage with kidney beans, tomatoes, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives. A hearty, sun-drenched supper over pasta or with crusty bread.

Three-green pasta with scallops and pesto sauce: fettuccine tossed with seared sea scallops, asparagus, green beans, peas, pesto, and cream. A quick spring pasta for six ready in 40 minutes.

Pasta alla Genovese with pesto, blanched green beans, Yukon gold potatoes, toasted walnuts, and Parmesan. The classic Ligurian pasta dish that proves carbs and vegetables together is genius.

Rich, herb-loaded quiche with zucchini, basil pesto, Swiss and Monterey Jack cheese, garlic, and a touch of cayenne in a flaky pie crust. Two cheeses and pesto make this a standout brunch or dinner.

Pesto potato salad with steamed new potatoes, fresh tomatoes, red onion, and celery in a basil pesto, mayo, and yogurt dressing. Includes homemade pesto recipe.

A vegetable-loaded Italian minestrone with eggplant, beans, spinach, cabbage, and pasta, finished with a swirl of homemade pesto alla Genovese. Rustic, hearty, and full of garden-fresh flavor.

Homemade garlic-rosemary focaccia split and filled with basil pesto, sliced mozzarella, and fresh tomatoes. Italian sandwich perfection built from pizza dough in about an hour.

A great dip that is creamy yet refreshing. Served best chilled.