Basil Pesto is a condiment that consists of basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, salt and hard cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino all blended with olive oil. As it originated in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria in Italy, its traditional name is Pesto alla Genovese.
The word ‘pesto’ is the past participle of the Italian verb ‘pestare’ which means ‘to pound,’ or ‘to crush,’ in reference to its original method of preparation with mortar and pestle. Strictly speaking, pesto is a generic term for anything made by pounding, which is why there are several preparations available called pesto.
Basil Pesto is now much easier to make using a food processor, but it’s also widely available to purchase in jars from supermarkets and delicatessens, but a word of WARNING. Despite its name, the pine nut is a seed, not a nut. However, people with nut allergies might also be allergic to pine nuts. Furthermore, most of the commercial pesto, no doubt for cost reasons, is made from cashews rather than pine nuts. So, anyone with a nut allergy should take care to read the label.
Basil Pesto is most commonly used as a pasta sauce, usually diluted with some olive oil or cream. However, it can also be used in salad dressings, marinades and to flavour eggs, steamed vegetables or cooked dishes. In several recipes on this website, it can also be substituted for frozen spinach.
If you have other exotic condiments in your fridge, see 6 Ways with Exotic Sauces and Condiments for ideas on how to use them.
To find more uses for Basil Pesto just enter ‘basil pesto’ in ‘Search’.
Recipes:
Baked Fish with Pesto and Tomatoes
Pesto Mac ’n Cheese
- ¼ cup small macaroni or elbows
- 1 tsp. basil pesto
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
Stovetop method:
- Boil macaroni in a small saucepan until cooked through (12–15 minutes)
- Drain and return to saucepan
- Stir in pesto, olive oil and Parmesan cheese
Microwave Method:
- Place macaroni in a 1 litre bowl with ½ cup cold water
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes
- Stir and repeat twice
- Drain if necessary
- Stir in pesto, olive oil and Parmesan cheese
- Let stand for 1–2 minutes
Pasta al Pesto
- ¾ cup pasta
- 1–2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Boil pasta until al dente, drain (and set aside)
- Pour a generous layer of olive oil into a small saucepan
- Heat pesto in the olive oil
- Add pasta to pan and stir until heated through
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Variations:
- substitute 80–100gm gnocchi, tortellini, ravioli or agnolotti for the pasta
- substitute zucchini noodles for the boiled pasta, beginning at Step 2 and at Step 3 sauté for a few minutes until wilted.
Tip: to make zucchini noodles, cut in half and use a vegetable peeler to cut into noodles.
Pasta with Chicken and Pesto
- ½ cup pasta
- 1 x 85gm can shredded chicken in water
- 2–3 tsp. basil pesto
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp. shredded mozzarella
- Dried onion and pepper
- Olive oil
- Boil pasta until al dente, drain (and set aside) retaining some of the water
- In a small saucepan, sauté pesto in olive oil
- Stir in shredded chicken with dried onion and pepper
- Sauté to heat through
- Add pasta with shredded cheese and stir through
- Add a little pasta water to make a creamy sauce
Variation: substitute ½ cup cooked chicken for the canned chicken
Tomato and Cucumber Salad
- 1 medium tomato or 4–6 cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup red capsicum or red onion
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
- ½ cup bocconcini (optional)
- Parsley and oregano
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- 1–2 tbsp. olive oil
- Finely chop the tomato and red capsicum or red onion
- Peel (optional) and chop the cucumber
- Mix together in a 1 litre bowl and add bocconcini (optional)
- Sprinkle with parsley and oregano
- In a cup or glass, stir pesto into olive oil and stir through salad
Variation: substitute sliced celery for some of the cucumber or capsicum
Couscous Salad
- ¼ cup instant couscous
- ½ Lebanese cucumber (or ¼ Granny Smith apple)
- 3–4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup mushrooms, red capsicum (or red onion) and/or carrot, chopped
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- 1 tbsp. olive oil.
- In a 1 litre bowl stir ¼ cup boiling water into couscous and allow to cool
- Peel (optional) and chop cucumber or apple
- Stir pesto and olive oil into couscous
- Stir chopped vegetables into couscous
Variation: substitute sliced celery for some of the cucumber, apple, capsicum or carrot
Salade Niçoise
- 1 x 95gm can tuna in oil
- 1/3 cup green beans (or frozen broccoli)
- 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup canned potatoes, halved
- 1 tsp. basil pesto
- Olive oil
- Lightly steam and cool green beans
- Arrange on a plate with cherry tomatoes and potatoes
- Drain oil from tuna into a cup, top up to approx. 1 tbsp. with additional olive oil and stir in pesto
- Place tuna with the vegetables and drizzle with oil
Vegetable Hot Pot
- 2–3 (frozen) broccoli florets
- ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables (or see below)
- ½ cup canned potatoes, halved
- Olive oil
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- In a small saucepan, bring 1½ cups water to the boil
- Add fresh vegetables and simmer for 2–3 minutes
- Return water to the boil and add any frozen vegetables
- Simmer for a further 2–3 minutes
- Return water to the boil, add potatoes and simmer for further 2–3 minutes
- Drain and return to saucepan
- Stir in olive oil and pesto
Variation: suitable for carrot, celery, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, frozen peas, pumpkin, sweet potato, green beans, or zucchini
Vegetable and Pesto Soup
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- ¼ cup carrot or celery, chopped
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
- 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
- 1–2 tsp. basil pesto
- Garlic, pepper and paprika
- Olive oil
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic, pepper and paprika
- Add carrot and peas and sauté
- Add diced tomatoes and sauté
- Add stock powder with 1 cup boiling water
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 5–10 minutes
- Add macaroni and simmer for a further 12–15 minutes
- Stir in pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (optional)
Tomato Parmigiana
- 1 large tomato
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 tbsp. breadcrumbs
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Halve the tomato crossways
- Scoop out about ½ of the contents of each half
- Drain pulp and chop finely
- Mix in pesto, olive oil, mozzarella and breadcrumbs
- Press mixture into tomato cavities
- Top with shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Roast in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 30 minutes.
Pesto Marinade
- 1 tbsp. basil pesto
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- Garlic and pepper
- Mix all the ingredients together
- Place 100–125gm chicken or pork in the marinade and seal tightly
- Let stand for 15–30 minutes or up to 24 hours in the fridge
- Meat can be baked, grilled or pan fried
Chicken al Pesto
- 100–125gm diced chicken
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- ½ cup canned potatoes
- ½ cup frozen peas and/or broccoli
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- Pepper
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- Olive oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with pepper
- Add chicken and sauté until browned
- Add vegetables with stock powder and ½ cup water
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes, allowing the stock to reduce down
- Stir in pesto
Baked Fish with Pesto and Tomatoes
- 1 small thick fish fillet, fully thawed
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. basil pesto
- 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved
- Pepper, dried onion and garlic granules
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Pat fish dry with paper towels
- Brush a small oven tray or pie dish with olive oil
- Brush fish fillet with olive oil and place in dish
- Add lemon juice to dish
- Spread pesto over fillet
- Place halved tomatoes around fish and sprinkle with spices
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over fish and tomatoes
- Cover dish with aluminium foil
- Bake in a pre-heated moderate (175°C) oven for 10 minutes
- Uncover and bake for a further 10–15 minutes
Serving suggestion: serve with a Quick Vegetable Side Dish from the Pantry