Pesto is such a beautiful Italian sauce, originating in Genoa. It’s so simple… basil + pine nuts + garlic + parmesan + extra-virgin olive oil.
Those few ingredient combine to make magic. To help you make the most of this classic pesto sauce, we’ve compiled this list of the best Pesto Recipes from GypsyPlate and around the internet.
From pastas and soups, salads to sandwiches, and so much more, there are so many ways to use your favorite fresh pesto sauce in all these amazing pesto recipes.
Go through all of these great pesto recipes, you’re sure to find some new favorites!
The Best Pesto Recipes:
1. Pesto Sauce
We’re starting this list of great pesto recipes with our own favorite classic Pesto Sauce. This homemade Pesto recipe is a tried and true method to make the best Basil Pesto every single time.
Homemade Pesto is infinitely more tasty than store bought varieties. The sauce is ready in just 5 minutes and it’s very delicious and versatile.
2. Creamy Pesto Chicken Skillet
This creamy pesto chicken skillet is a great weeknight dinner recipe. It happens super fast, 3O minutes fast!
Tender chicken and loads of veggies in a delicious creamy pesto sauce. YUM!
3. Pesto Chicken Pasta
This Chicken Pesto Pasta is a decadent delight! Chicken and pasta are tossed in a super flavorful pesto sauce.
All this goodness in only 25 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
4. Pesto Shrimp and Grits
We all think it’s fair to say that we can’t get enough of Shrimp and Grits in our life, which inspired us to create this Italian take on a Southern classic.
Fresh, aromatic basil pesto pairs perfectly with these tender shrimp and creamy parmesan cheese grits. This dish an amazing comfort food fusion!
5. Pesto Eggs
Pesto eggs have been taking the internet by storm, so we decided to give them a try. Why not? We love pesto and we love eggs!
This is a simple, but incredibly tasty, breakfast that whips up in no time, if you already have some pesto handy.
6. Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad with Pesto
Spring and summer demand colorful, light, refreshing salads. So here it is our Cucumber Avocado Tomato Salad, but with major flavor bender… delicious basil pesto dressing.
This one is there for you to brighten up any meal!
7. Pesto Bruschetta Chicken
This gorgeous dish highlights two summer favorites: fresh basil and vine ripe tomatoes! It’s a great keto meal prep option, only 10 minutes of prep time and then your trusty old oven does the rest.
This is one of our favorite pesto recipes.
8. Pesto Pasta
Pesto Pasta is a light and fresh Italian dish with a beautiful sauce. It’s great with other add ins like veggies and proteins. Today we’re going with cherry tomatoes and asparagus.
It’s a light and refreshing dish, perfect for summer using your leftover pesto.
9. Pesto Tortellini Soup
This Pesto Chicken Tortellini Soup is a hit! It has an amazing rich pesto broth that is filled with chicken and tortellini. This meal is pure comfort.
This easy and quick soup is very cozy and healthy, perfect for cold nights.
10. Easy Sausage Pesto Ring
Here is a perfect appetizer or snack to impress your guests. This sausage pesto ring looks so delicious.
Country biscuit dough filled with Italian sausage, pesto and loaded with cheese and butter arranged in a ring and baked. Brilliant!
11. Pesto Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad
This Pesto Grilled Chicken Avocado Salad recipe is juicy grilled pesto chicken on a bed of crisp lettuce with tomatoes, avocados, cucumber, and feta cheese. All is drizzled with a delicious pesto salad dressing.
12. Grilled Pesto Chicken Wraps
These Grilled Pesto Chicken Wraps are so delicious!
Tortillas are filled with rotisserie chicken, avocado, artichoke hearts, mozzarella and pesto, then grilled crisp. You will be making these more than once, for sure!
Get the Recipe @ wanderingchickpea
13. Pesto Orzo and Vegetables
Here’s a hearty, healthy and flavorful recipe with all your favorite veggies, fresh basil pesto and orzo.
This is a really easy and versatile recipe, and it’s a great dinner dish that will leave you asking for more!
Get the Recipe @ twokooksinthekitchen
14. Caprese Panini with Avocado Basil Pesto
This Caprese Panini with Avocado Basil Pesto is one of our favorite sandwiches. The flavor combination of caprese and pesto is outstanding, and makes for a great summer lunch.
Get the Recipe @ aberdeenskitchen
15. Chicken Pesto Pizza
This chicken pesto pizza is an easy way to make a nice weeknight meal using ingredients that you already have laying around.
You can use leftover rotisserie chicken, fresh tomatoes, pesto, and cheese to make a spectacular pizza.
Get the Recipe @ damndelicious
16. Parmesan Pesto Tilapia
This great recipe features parmesan crusted broiled tilapia covered in a great basil pesto sauce.
It comes together in about 15 minutes, perfect for hectic weeknights.
17. Pesto Grilled Shrimp
This Pesto Grilled Shrimp is going to be a new favorite for your family. It definitely belongs in your rotation during grilling season.
18. Chicken and Zucchini Basil Pesto Tortellini
Looking for something Mediterranean-style? Try this chicken and zucchini basil pesto tortellini!
It’s filled with a rainbow of colors thanks to the zucchini, chicken, cherry tomatoes, and tortellini. It’s all tossed in a basil pesto to bring the whole thing together.
19. Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
This Creamy Pesto Gnocchi recipe is made with pillowy and tender gnocchi smothered in creamy basil pesto sauce.
An easy, quick and delicious dinner that you’ll make over and over again!
Get the Recipe @ saltandlavender
20. Chicken Pesto Sandwich
If you love sandwiches, which we’re sure you do, this is the perfect quick and easy recipe to fulfill your sandwich needs.
This Chicken Sandwich is made with classic homemade pesto and shredded chicken with a hint of Greek yogurt. It’s an absolutely divine combination!
Get the Recipe @ damndelicious
21. Pesto Egg White Omelette With Goat Cheese
So easy to make, this Pesto Egg White Omelet with Goat Cheese makes a wonderful breakfast or brunch.
The chicken, sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese and pesto add a massive flavor boost to traditional omelets.
Get the Recipe @ foodfaithfitness
22. Pesto Baked Rigatoni
Pesto Baked Rigatoni pasta is so easy and tasty at the same time. It’s made with rigatoni pasta, fresh creamy pesto sauce, little heirloom tomatoes and cheese baked to perfection.
And that’s it, your pasta is ready to serve. It’s a delicious comfort food loved by all!
23. Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
These sheet pan pesto chicken meal prep bowls make a low-carb meal that can be ready in under thirty minutes.
If you’ve ever doubted that something can be healthy and delicious, then this meal is sure to prove you wrong!
Get the Recipe @ thegirlonbloor
24. Tortellini with Pesto and Roasted Veggies
Tortellini with Pesto and Roasted Veggies is filling, full of flavor and the best weeknight meal for summer nights.
It couldn’t be easier to make… chop up some veggies and while they are roasting cook cheese tortellini, and your delicious dinner is ready to go.
Get the Recipe @ cookingclassy
25. Gnocchi Shrimp and Asparagus with Lemony Pesto
Get dinner on the table fast with this 20 minute Gnocchi Shrimp and Asparagus with Lemony Pesto!
This easy recipe makes a delicious dinner any night of the week. It’s one of our favorite pesto recipes!
Get the Recipe @ cookingclassy
What a great collection of pesto recipes! Go beyond the usual suspects, and get full use of the versatility of this amazing fresh sauce.
Check out these other great recipe collections!
Pasta Recipes
Italian Recipes
Pizza Recipes
Salad Recipes
Summer Dinner Idea
Pasta Salad Recipes
Basil Recipes
25 BEST Pesto Recipes
We’ve compiled this great list of Pesto Recipes so that you can make the most of this gorgeous Italian Sauce. For starters, try this easy homemade pesto sauce:
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano cheese (or other hard cheese)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse basil and remove leaves from stem. Peel garlic.
- Add basil leaves, garlic cloves, cheese, salt and pine nuts to blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until ingredients are blended into a coarse mixture.
- Drizzle in olive oil and pulse blender until all ingredients are well mixed. If needed, scrape sides of blender to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Add lemon juice and again pulse.
- Taste and adjust salt, garlic and cheese to your taste.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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