Whether you have half a jar of pesto pushed to the back of the fridge or an especially bountiful bunch of basil to use up, these recipes with pesto have ideas for any amount.
Pesto Grilled Cheese
Just two additional ingredients—pesto and fresh tomato—turn a classic grilled cheese into a stunning crunchy sandwich with an amazing mozzarella cheese pull. Crusty sourdough is the best bread choice here because its tang cuts through the rich cheese and butter, and its sturdiness can withstand the generous layers of pesto and juicy tomatoes. Try it with homemade sourdough once your sourdough starter is bubbly and active.
Pesto Parmesan Crisps
It’s so easy to make cheese crisps at home for a salty, crunchy snack, and the basic recipe is ideal for customizing. Mixing pesto with freshly shredded Parmesan before baking it into lacy rounds infuses the cheese with basil and garlic and is a great way to use up the last few spoonfuls in a jar. You can use homemade or store-bought pesto, as long as it’s not too loose or oily, which will make the crisps spread too much and bake unevenly.
Savory Pesto Babka
Chocolate babka will always have a place in my heart, but a savory twisted, braided loaf of pesto- and Parmesan-filled babka might just be my new favorite variation. You’ll need a full cup of pesto for this two-loaf recipe, perfect for when you need basil recipes to use up a summer bounty.
Copycat Cafe Zupas Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Pesto makes all the difference in this creamy chicken salad sandwich recipe that tastes just like one you’d pick up at Cafe Zupas. Unlike a tuna melt, where the cheese and filling are warmed together, here sliced Muenster cheese is melted on the bottom bun so the chicken salad on top stays cool and the pesto stays green and fresh-tasting.
Pesto Beans
Beans are always the answer when I need a quick meal from what I have in my pantry and refrigerator. But that doesn’t mean the meal has to be boring or bland, and these saucy pesto beans prove that point perfectly. Simmer sauteed shallots and garlic with spices, canned beans and broth until velvety-soft, then stir in pesto, Parmesan and lemon juice off-heat so the flavors stay bright. Try the beans with parsley pesto for a slightly different but still verdant dish.
Turkey Pesto Sandwich
This loaded, warm sandwich is dressed with a swath of pesto instead of mayo or mustard for a salty, herby bite that enlivens deli turkey, sliced cheese and fresh veggies. I love to replace the fresh zucchini and onion layered in the sandwich with leftover grilled vegetables when I have them.
Pesto Chicken Casserole
This baked pasta recipe has canned tomatoes, pesto and Alfredo sauce, making it creamy, tangy and cheesy all at once. Since it makes two casseroles, it uses an entire jar of prepared pesto to keep the basil flavor from being overshadowed. If you are running low on pesto, you can easily halve the recipe and make one pan.
Pesto Salmon
It’s hard to believe this gorgeous salmon recipe has just two ingredients, but that’s the beauty of using a flavorful sauce like pesto. All you have to do is spread pesto over salmon and pop it in the oven. Since pesto is already salty and nutty, it seasons the fish and forms a light crust as it bakes. Don’t be tempted to toss this under the broiler; you don’t want to blacken the herbs and cheese.
Pesto Mashed Potatoes
I’ll never run out of ways to make mashed potatoes—they are one of my favorite comfort foods—and sometimes a new twist is as simple as swirling pesto into a batch of cream-and-butter smashed red potatoes. Stirring pesto in right before serving prevents it from browning and keeps the flavors balanced between the herby sauce and the earthy potatoes.
Shrimp Pesto Pasta
This springy pasta recipe features homemade pesto, quickly sauteed asparagus and plump shrimp, proving that even 30 minutes is enough time to make a flavorful quick pasta dinner. The pesto skips the usual Parmesan and nuts and has a hefty dose of fresh lemon juice, giving it a lighter, sharper taste that pairs well with the veggies and shrimp. Lemon juice will make the pesto brown more quickly, so it’s not a great idea to make the pesto too far in advance.
Pesto Pinwheels
Spreading pesto over crescent roll dough before rolling into pinwheels and baking ensures a crispy, buttery bite as the cheese and oil in pesto sizzle in the oven. Mild roasted red peppers and a bit more Parmesan for good measure join the filling, but pesto is the real standout flavor.
Pesto Gnocchi
Gnocchi recipes of all kinds are on repeat in my house. As much as I love a crispy gnocchi, the pillowy-soft texture of the plump, boiled gnocchi in this recipe pairs perfectly with gently sauteed vegetables and herby pesto. Save a bit of the gnocchi cooking water so if your pesto is on the thicker side, you can thin it just enough to coat everything evenly.
Meatball Sliders
Forget grating raw onion that makes your eyes water in the name of tender meatballs. Here, pesto is the clutch ingredient to ensure soft and moist baked meatballs ready to nestle inside these saucy, cheesy sliders. Pesto gives the meatballs an herby, summery taste, but you can make them year-round with store-bought pesto.
Pesto Lasagna
Most people would call this a white lasagna since it doesn’t have a tomato base, but with layers of pesto and spinach, I vote we call it a green lasagna. This vegetarian pasta bake leans into the creamy side of lasagna with cheese in almost every layer. Pesto enhances the grassy flavor of the spinach and adds an herbal note to balance the overall richness.
Easy Chicken Pesto Stuffed Peppers
Weeknight stuffed peppers are possible when you lean into smart shortcuts like the rotisserie chicken, cooked rice and pesto in this recipe. You’ll need a cup of pesto to coat the chicken and rice thoroughly, so make sure you have a full batch or a fresh jar before getting started.
Pesto Hamburgers
Pesto, mozzarella and strips of sweet, smoky roasted red peppers give simply seasoned burger patties an Italian twist. A handful of spicy baby arugula or a few whole basil leaves over the toppings would complement the pesto’s flavor without overshadowing it.
Chicken Pesto Wraps
These easy wraps remind me of a burrito, but instead of ground beef and salsa, there’s ground chicken and pesto. Since ground chicken is so mild, you don’t need a lot of pesto for the flavor to come through, so it’s a great way to finish up a jar. To make it taste like antipasto, swap in marinated artichokes and roasted red peppers for the fresh tomato and red onion.
Asparagus with Fresh Basil Sauce
One of the best ways to stretch the last bit of pesto in a jar is to turn it into a creamy sauce, as in this recipe. Here you serve the mayo and pesto mixture with gently cooked asparagus that are bright green and crisp-tender. You could also serve this sauce as a dip on a crudites platter with an assortment of crunchy raw veggies.
Pesto Pizza
Some of the best pizza toppings are slightly unexpected. This recipe uses pesto instead of a tangy tomato sauce or creamy Alfredo as the pizza sauce and tops the pesto with shredded mozzarella, sliced tomato and fresh basil. Since basil and Parmesan are already go-to pizza flavors and are essential in pesto, it makes perfect sense why pesto is so great on pizza. You can add more toppings, too, like olives or cooked crumbled sausage.
Pesto Bread
This beautiful homemade bread includes basil pesto and sun-dried tomato pesto, combining the tangy concentrated flavor of sun-dried tomatoes with the light, fresh taste of basil. You could use just one variety of pesto, but the contrasting red and green colors make the exposed twisted layers extra special.
Recipes with Pesto FAQ
How long will pesto last in the refrigerator?
Homemade pesto lasts up to five days in the refrigerator, while store-bought pesto can last up to a week once opened. Shelf-stable prepared pesto generally lasts longer than refrigerated pesto, but you should always go by the package recommendations. Fresh basil is prone to browning once it’s chopped or pureed, so to prevent that oxidation, make sure the jar or package is sealed tightly. For homemade pesto, pour a thin layer of oil on top to prevent air from reacting with it.
What are some creative ways to use up a jar of pesto?
If you’re looking for some new ways to use up pesto, think of dishes that call for fresh herbs and oil and swap in pesto. Rub it under the skin of a chicken before roasting, whisk it into a salad dressing, or drizzle it over a burrata Caprese salad. If your jar is literally almost empty, add the salad dressing ingredients right in, seal it and shake to combine. I’ve even mixed pesto instead of cilantro into a savory fruit salsa for a surprisingly delicious side for pork or chicken. Finally, I’ll often stir a spoonful into chicken soup recipes when I’m out of fresh herbs—it’s so cozy.
Can you heat up pesto?
You absolutely can heat pesto by either tossing it with hot food, baking it into a casserole or bread, or spreading it over meat or fish before cooking. However, the color and flavor will change. Sun-dried tomato pesto will darken, though the tangy flavor will remain since it’s so concentrated. Basil pesto will become more drab, and the bold, herby taste will become muted. I like to top the recipe with a bit of uncooked pesto to perk up the flavor, or finish it with a scattering of fresh herbs.
