Whether you’re cooking pasta, seafood, chicken, or looking to make vegetables sing, a spoonful of pesto adds so much flavor! Here are my favorite recipes with pesto, plus 4 pesto recipes that go beyond basil!
More to 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 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 the basil with other tender green herbs (I love this cilantro version over fish!). Pesto recipes are so adaptable they lend themselves to reinvention!
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 the recipes with pesto in the dishes that follow! Try out something new to you; you might find an unexpected addition to the weekly dinner rotation.
- Pesto Alla Trapanese: 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 an herbaceous lift.
- Easy Lemon Pesto: Three whole lemons — peel and all — blended 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 onto baked flounder.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto: Another Sicilian pesto known as pesto rosso, red pesto, trades fresh herbs for sun-dried tomatoes, so you can make it any time of year!
- Carrot Top Pesto: Don’t toss those carrot leaves! Blended with pistachios, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon juice, carrot tops make a pesto that’s just as capable as the classics.
Pesto Pastas
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
Another weeknight favorite that’s also great when hosting, this pesto pasta is studded with sweet sautéed shrimp and jammy cherry tomatoes. Tender baby spinach tangles up in the spaghetti and sauce. Serve it to loved ones with a Caesar salad and a lovely Limoncello Cake for dessert.
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Pesto is a quick and easy base to make a creamy basil pasta sauce! Paired 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 its perfect match.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Pesto-dressed fusilli with summer squash, snow peas, and cherry tomatoes is equally good warm from the pot 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-searing store-bought gnocchi gives these little potato dumplings a deliciously crisp, golden crust before they’re tossed with sautéed zucchini, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, spinach, and a generous swirl of pesto. It’s a colorful, one-pan vegetarian dinner where the pesto ties everything together. Make your own gnocchi for an even more heavenly result!
Pesto Pasta with Garlicky Roasted Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates their sweetness, and tossing them into pasta coated in basil pesto with pearls of milky mozzarella makes an easy weeknight meal. Add poached chicken or broiled salmon for a boost of protein!
Creamy Pesto Ravioli
Five ingredients and 10 minutes are all it takes for this easy meal! I boil store-bought cheese ravioli and frozen peas together, then toss them with pesto and just a splash of heavy cream. The silky, herby sauce clings to every ravioli pillow. Serve it with a white bean salad or a cherry tomato salad.
Meat & Seafood Recipes with Pesto
Pesto Breakfast Sandwiches
This is the breakfast sandwich you get at a fancy brunch spot. Pesto on toasted ciabatta, delicate prosciutto, peppery arugula, and a fried egg. The crowning touch is a quick sun-dried tomato topping. Don’t keep this sandwich for breakfast; it’s equally suited for dinner or lunch!
Creamy Pesto Chicken and Vegetables
Pesto turns a simple skillet dinner of chicken breasts and vegetables into something that tastes like it took far 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 fast toasted tomato orzo!
Baked Chilean Sea Bass with Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
Baking this mild, buttery fish in foil keeps it meltingly tender. Once it comes out of the oven, a generous layer of pesto and a scatter of juicy little tomatoes are all you need! I serve this buttery fish with Maroulosalata (Greek Lettuce Salad) or Smashed Cucumber Salad.
Pesto Salmon
A layer of basil pesto helps anchor panko breadcrumbs to salmon fillets giving them a crunchy, herby crust. It’s a 15-minute dinner you can pair with any sautéed vegetable. A substantial salad, like our Greek Potato Salad, is another great match.
Vegetarian Recipes with Pesto
Roasted Vegetable Pesto Sandwich
Pesto paired with creamy ricotta adds interest to a sandwich stacked with roasted eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper on toasted ciabatta. This one is especially good with sun-dried tomato pesto!
Pesto-Braised Chickpeas
Pesto gives canned chickpeas a glow-up. A garnish of fried lemon rings and sliced jalapeño 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 like One-Pan Baked Halibut With Vegetables.
Pesto Lemon Orzo Soup
Basic broth and a little orzo become 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 this with some crispy homemade garlic bread.
Pesto Eggs
Frying sunny-side-up eggs gently in pesto infuses them with garlicky, herby flavor. I like to stack them on toast (or a whole roasted sweet potato) with sliced tomato 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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