Food Recipes Sauces, Condiments and Preserves Pesto Sauce 28 Ways to Boost Flavor With Bright Pesto, From Breakfast to Dinner and Dessert Whether you stick with tradition or try an inventive variation, cooking with pesto practically guarantees a winning meal. By Jodie Kautzmann Published on July 17, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea Chances are, when you think of pesto, it's the classic basil version made with little else than garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil — and that alone opens up a world of possibility. Pesto can be swirled into bread, tossed with pasta, dolloped onto pizza, or used as a dip, among other delicious uses. But this collection of pesto recipes is here to illustrate just how versatile and customizable the beloved sauce is. With the same basic ratios, pesto can be prepared with any number of herbs like oregano, parsley, or mint, plus greens as well. Keep the cheese or not; replace the pine nuts with another nut, or try adding in something else for crunch entirely, such as roasted chickpeas or sunflower seeds, Start your day with a pesto frittata, end it with a berry granita blanketed in vanilla-flecked, honey-sweetened pesto, and discover all the other tasty ways to enjoy pesto for the meals in between. 01 of 28 Pesto Genovese (Classic Basil Pesto) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Classic pesto originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria in Italy. It's a cornerstone of Ligurian cuisine; here, we crush basil, garlic, and pine nuts together in a mortar and pestle for a smooth, basil-forward pesto. Use Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, or a combination of the two cheeses. Get the Recipe 02 of 28 Seared Salmon with Pistachio Pesto Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This verdant pesto is made with a surprising variety of flavors — nutty pistachios, cool mint, spicy ginger and chile, bright lime zest, and salty Pecorino Romano cheese. It comes together simply in a bowl, without a food processor or blender. Get the Recipe 03 of 28 Orecchiette with Roasted Chickpea Pesto Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley In this nut-free basil pesto from 2020 F&W Best New Chef Douglass Williams, roasted chickpeas replace pine nuts, bringing heaps of satisfying, nutty flavor and a touch of creaminess to the sauce. Fresh serrano chile provides a light touch of heat. Get the Recipe 04 of 28 Pork Loin Stuffed with Pesto and Prosciutto Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop styling by Audrey Davis This pork loin is stuffed with an herb pesto made from tarragon, chives, basil, parsley, scallions, and lemon zest, which flavors the loin from the inside. Get the Recipe 05 of 28 Salmon and Arugula Frittata with Pesto Emily Kordovich Chef Eric Adjepong gives his frittata a big flavor boost with a bright spinach-basil pesto, which he whisks right into the just-cracked eggs. He incorporates salmon in two ways, topping the eggs with cooked fresh salmon before baking, then garnishing the frittata with thinly sliced smoked salmon just before serving. Get the Recipe 06 of 28 Pesto-and-Cheese-Stuffed Brioche Scrolls with Bacon-Tomato Jam Pesto-and-Cheese-Stuffed Brioche Scrolls with Bacon-Tomato Jam. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver These savory cousins to cinnamon rolls feature buttery brioche scrolls filled with nutty pesto and salty Asiago cheese, all topped with a dollop of tomato-bacon jam. Use your favorite homemade or store-bought pesto here — you'll need about a cup. Get the Recipe 07 of 28 King Trumpet Schnitzel with Mixed Herb Pesto Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Kathleen Varner A bright, herb-packed pesto complements crispy, juicy king trumpet mushrooms that have been given the schnitzel treatment. They're double-breaded to deliver an exceptionally crunchy crust. Get the Recipe 08 of 28 Carrot Top Pesto Matt Taylor-Gross What's the point of buying gorgeous next-level carrots with their long, lacy greens if you're just going to cut those off and toss them in the trash? This hand-chopped pesto is a delicious way to reduce food waste. Serve it as a dip, dolloped on a grain bowl or egg dish, or over grilled or roasted meat, vegetables, or fish. Get the Recipe 09 of 28 Mafaldine with Pea Shoot—Meyer Lemon Pesto Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Fresh pea shoots, parsley, and dill make a vibrant pesto balanced with salty ricotta salata cheese and nutty roasted sunflower seed kernels. The bright sauce clings beautifully to ruffled mafaldine pasta in this 30-minute recipe. Get the Recipe 10 of 28 Stone Fruit Salad with Collard-Peanut Pesto Photo by Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea In this savory summer fruit salad, roasted peanuts, collard greens, and Parmesan yield a hearty pesto that's the perfect partner for honey-dressed wedges of plums and nectarines. Get the Recipe 11 of 28 Kale-Basil Pesto Erin Kunkel Toasted walnuts and lacinato kale bolster traditional basil pesto for a rich, versatile sauce that's equally delicious on pasta as it is with toasted baguette slices for a simple, elegant appetizer. Get the Recipe 12 of 28 Pesto alla Trapanese Caitlin Bensel Food writer Colu Henry's Sicilian-inspired pesto is just as noble and worthy of recognition as traditional basil pesto. A pound of bite-sized tomatoes serves as the foundation of this herb-driven sauce; blanched almonds take the place of pine nuts. Get the Recipe 13 of 28 Ramp Pesto Photo by Huge Galdones / Food Styling by Christina Zerkis Try this pesto once and you'll never let another ramp season go by without making up a batch. It's one of the easiest ways to cook with ramps, highlighting their special garlicky onion flavor. Get the Recipe 14 of 28 Linguine with Frenched Green Beans and Parsley Pesto Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson In this classic recipe, chef Johanne Killen employs starchy pasta water to thicken her fresh parsley-basil pesto into a sauce that clings to and flavors each strand of linguine instead of pooling in the bowl. Thinly sliced green beans intertwine with the pasta, offering a refreshing crunch. Get the Recipe 15 of 28 Vegan Pesto Babka Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely This completely vegan savory babka from pastry chef Angela Garbacz relies on almond milk and vegetable oil for richness, while the pesto that's braided into it leans on fresh herbs, peppery arugula, and plenty of garlic for flavor. Get the Recipe 16 of 28 Strawberry Granita with Sweet Pesto Victor Protasio Yes, you absolutely can (and should!) serve pesto for dessert. Here, chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson pairs a subtly tangy berry granita with vanilla-flecked, honey-sweetened pesto for a refreshing summer treat. Get the Recipe 17 of 28 Ricotta-Filled Handkerchief Pasta with Pesto and Marinara © Con Poulos Why choose between pesto and marinara when you can have both? Known in Italian as mandilli, this delicious dish features sheets of pasta coated with pesto, stuffed with ricotta, and topped with tomato sauce. A bit of mascarpone cheese is added to the pesto for creamy richness. Get the Recipe 18 of 28 Linguine al Pesto di Zucchine © Simon Bajada If you've never experienced zucchini pesto, it's time to add this dish to your summer recipe rotation. To make the sauce, simply combine zucchini with mint, parsley, almonds, garlic, and Parmesan in the food processor, drizzle in your favorite olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Get the Recipe 19 of 28 Giant Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Oregano Pesto © Cedric Angeles Made mostly with pantry staples, chef Laurence Jossel's tomato-bean stew is elevated by a bright herbal pesto, tangy feta, and a crisp breadcrumb topping. Get the Recipe 20 of 28 Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Yuzu Kosho Pesto © Anna Williams 2011 F&W Best New Chef Ricardo Zarate's pesto features yuzu kosho, a hot, spicy, and aromatic Japanese condiment made from zingy chiles and ultra-citrusy yuzu zest. Combined with ginger, garlic, lemongrass, cilantro, and olive oil, yuzu kosho pesto is a flavor bomb that will have you rethinking your definition of the classic sauce. Get the Recipe 21 of 28 Israeli Couscous and Tomato Salad with Arugula Pesto © Michael Turek The trick to this peppery, bright arugula pesto is to blanch the arugula and squeeze it dry, so when you blend it with the pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and cheese, the resulting pesto isn't too wet. Get the Recipe 22 of 28 Tajarin with Grilled Kale Pesto © Con Poulos Chef Kevin Fink's smart, simple grilled kale pesto is perfect with homemade tajarin, but it's also stellar on store-bought pasta. Toasted pecans and anchovy fillets are added to round out the flavors in an unexpected way. Get the Recipe 23 of 28 Pistachio-Oregano Pesto © John Kernick Made with roasted pistachios and fresh oregano, this pesto from chef and seafood expert Dave Pasternack is perfect with roasted, grilled, or steamed fish. Get the Recipe 24 of 28 Spaghetti with Sun-Dried Tomato-Almond Pesto © John Kernick This nutty, savory, texturally thrilling Mediterranean pasta dish from chef Marcie Turney is quick, simple to make, and likely to become one of your go-to happy dishes. Get the Recipe 25 of 28 Roast Leg of Lamb with Hemp Seed Pesto © John Kernick Tender, yogurt-glazed lamb roast is made extra special when served with this familiar yet unique pesto, which derives its flavor and texture from hemp seeds instead of cheese and nuts. Get the Recipe 26 of 28 Pizza with Charred Cherry Tomatoes and Pesto © Marcus Nilsson Pesto belongs on pizza just as much as it does pasta. Here, it's a lovely complement to a topping of roasted tomatoes with aged Gouda and Parmigiano — it's spooned on after the pizzas emerge from the oven. Get the Recipe 27 of 28 Chicken Panini with Spinach and Pesto © Con Poulos For this fun marriage of a chicken salad sandwich and a crunchy pressed panino, chef Jonathan Waxman mixes pesto with mayonnaise and tosses it with chicken until the pieces are evenly coated. Get the Recipe 28 of 28 Walnut Pesto and Goat Cheese Dip © William Meppem For this delicious and easy cheese dip, toasted walnuts are blitzed in a food processor and combined with chèvre, shallots, and watercress. Diced avocado adds an extra layer of creamy richness on top. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit