Whether you’re cooking pasta, seafood, chicken, or looking to make 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 pesto than basil
When I hear the word pesto, my mind immediately thinks of Pesto alla Genovese, commonly known as basil pesto, but there are many variations of this classic sauce and countless ways to use pesto of all kinds.
You can replace the pine nuts in the recipe with walnuts, or swap the basil with other tender green herbs (I love this cilantro version on fish!). Pesto recipes are so adaptable that they lend themselves to reinvention!
I like to keep things interesting, which is why 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 the pesto recipes in the dishes that follow! Try something new for you; you might find an unexpected addition to the weekly dinner rotation.
- Trapani pesto: Sicilian pesto replaces pine nuts with almonds and adds cherry tomatoes for more sweetness and body. My version also contains mint and arugula, which give this almond pesto a herbaceous touch.
- Easy lemon pesto: Three whole lemons – zest and all – mixed with garlic, pine nuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano makes a tangy citrus pesto. It has an electric sparkle that’s especially welcome drizzled over sweet roasted vegetables or spooned over baked flounder.
- Dried tomato pesto: 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 pesto: Don’t throw away those carrot leaves! Mixed with pistachios, garlic and a dash of lemon juice, carrot tops make a pesto just as effective as the classics.
Pesto pasta
Shrimp and Pesto Pasta
Another weeknight favorite that’s also great at a party, this pesto pasta is studded with sweet sautéed shrimp and candied cherry tomatoes. Tender baby spinach gets tangled in the spaghetti and sauce. Serve it to your loved ones with a Caesar salad and a delicious limoncello cake for dessert.
Chicken and Pesto Pasta
Pesto is a quick and easy base for making a creamy basil pasta sauce! Served with bites of juicy chicken, this rich restaurant-style dish is one of my favorites for a date night at home. A bright and crunchy lemon parmesan lettuce salad is the perfect pairing.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Pesto Fusilli with Summer Squash, Snow Peas, and Cherry Tomatoes is also good hot in the pan or chilled and served as a pasta salad. Add cannellini beans or a simple grilled chicken breast to make it a meal.
Gnocchi with pesto and summer vegetables
Pan-fried store-bought gnocchi gives these little potato balls a deliciously crispy golden crust before being topped with sautéed zucchini, peppers, grape tomatoes, spinach and a generous swirl of pesto. This is a colorful one-pan vegetarian dinner where pesto ties it all together. Make your own gnocchi for an even more heavenly result!
Pesto Pasta with Garlic Roasted Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates their sweetness, and tossing them into basil pesto-coated pasta with pearls of milk mozzarella makes an easy weeknight meal. Add poached chicken or grilled salmon for a protein boost!
Creamy pesto ravioli
Five ingredients and 10 minutes are enough for this easy meal! I boil store-bought cheese ravioli and frozen peas together, then mix them with pesto and just a little heavy cream. The silky herb sauce clings to each pillow of ravioli. Serve it with a white bean salad or a cherry tomato salad.
Pesto Meat and Seafood Recipes
Pesto Breakfast Sandwiches
It’s the breakfast sandwich you get at a fancy brunch place. Pesto on grilled ciabatta, delicate prosciutto, peppered arugula and fried egg. The finishing touch is a quick sun-dried tomato topping. Don’t save this sandwich for breakfast; it is suitable for both dinner and lunch!
Creamy Pesto Chicken and Vegetables
Pesto turns a simple skillet dinner of chicken breasts and vegetables into something that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it actually requires. This 20-minute (and one pan!) recipe is a weeknight hero. Serve it over a quick pan of rice, or this equally quick grilled tomato orzo!
Baked Chilean sea bass with pesto and cherry tomatoes
Baking this soft, buttery fish in foil keeps it moist and tender. When you come out of the oven, a generous layer of pesto and a few small juicy tomatoes are all you need! I serve this buttered fish with Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad) or crushed cucumber salad.
Salmon with pesto
A layer of basil pesto helps anchor the panko breadcrumbs to the salmon fillets, giving them a crispy, herby crust. It’s a 15-minute dinner that you can pair with any sautéed vegetable. A hearty salad, like our Greek Potato Salad, is another great pairing.
Vegetarian pesto recipes
Roasted Vegetable Pesto Sandwich
Pesto paired with creamy ricotta adds interest to a sandwich filled with roasted eggplant, zucchini and peppers on toasted ciabatta. This one is especially good with sun-dried tomato pesto!
Braised chickpeas with pesto
Pesto gives canned chickpeas a pop. A garnish of fried lemon slices and jalapeño slices adds elegance, but it’s the pesto that defines the dish. I love these braised chickpeas as an unexpected appetizer, followed by a light main dish like baked halibut with vegetables.
Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
A basic broth and a little orzo becomes a simple, satisfying soup with pesto, baby spinach and tomatoes. The combination of lemon and milk in the broth adds dimension, like a quick version of avgolemono. I love serving it with some homemade crusty garlic bread.
Eggs with pesto
Gently frying fried eggs in pesto gives them a garlic and herb flavor. I like to pile them on toast (or a whole roasted sweet potato) with sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. It’s a quick breakfast or brinner (breakfast for dinner) with the flavor profile of a caprese salad.
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The post 14 Easy Pesto Recipes to Make Dinner Better appeared first on The Mediterranean Dish.
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