20 ways to use pesto

Get inspired with twenty ways to use pesto, because I don't need to hold you back from letting your pesto dreams come true.

Pesto is a sauce, typically made with fresh basil, cheese, pine nuts, olive oil + tons of garlic. But it doesn't stop there anymore, you'll find plenty of variations on the classic. Think pesto made with red peppers, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro... See? It's endless. 

Pesto goes well in sauces, on meat, with grains, for breakfast or for dinner. So there's no excuse that you couldn't be enjoying it right at this very minute. Hmm...

So don't wait for it, dive into twenty ideas for using pesto below!

Bread

Cheesy pesto pull-apart bread via The Cooking Jar

If you're down to make your own bread, try adding pesto into the mix. Or make something easier, by slicing up a baguette + adding pesto and cheese.

Salmon

Grilled salmon skewers via What's Gaby Cooking

Without sauce, salmon can be fairly bland. Try adding pesto to salmon for more flavor. Definitely add plenty of lemon juice to the pesto to compliment the salmon. 

Chicken

Chicken, zucchini pesto salad via Heather Cristo

Chicken and pesto are another great combination. Try marinating chicken in fresh pesto or toss pesto with zucchini + sautéd chicken for an upgraded take on chicken salad.

Pasta

Olive pesto pasta via Naturally Ella

Ok, this one is really obvious. Pasta! Toss pesto in hot pasta for an easy, delicious meal. Try switching up what pesto you use, like the olive pesto used in this dish.

Pizza

Potato pizza with kale pesto via Floating Kitchen

Pesto is meant for pizza! Try it on this version with potatoes, mozzarella, fontina + tons of kale pesto.

Pesto yogurt

Baked zucchini fries with pesto yogurt dipping sauce via Cookin Canuck

Enjoy pesto mixed with greek yogurt for an easy dipping sauce for french fries or zucchini fries.

Tamales

Jalapeño pesto potato tamales via Cookbooks 365

Switch tamales up by adding pesto. This recipe features a jalapeño one, with cilantro, pine nuts + garlic. 

Dipping sauce

Garlic roasted artichokes with pesto dipping sauce via The Food Charlatan

If pesto + mayo were people, I'd ship 'em because they work so well together. This recipe combines the two to make an herby, creamy dipping sauce for roasted artichokes.

Breadsticks

Pesto black pepper pancetta breadsticks via Kevin Is Cooking

Nope, you don't need to eat bland breadsticks AND yep, you can make your own. Try layering pesto before twisting pastry breadsticks. It's an easy way to elevate store-bought pastry.

Risotto balls

Baked pesto risotto balls via My Diary of Us

First make lots of pesto risotto, so much that you have leftover + make these risotto balls. But you don't always need to fry risotto balls, these are baked!

Toast

Buttered mushroom, sage pesto + goat cheese sourdough toast via Half Baked Harvest

When toast is warm, pesto melts into the nooks and crannies perfectly. You can enjoy toast with only pesto, but try adding other ingredients to complete the dish. Mushrooms + goat cheese are perfect choices!

Green beans

Blistered Green Beans With Tomato-Almond Pesto via Bon Appétit

Pesto doesn't have to be made with basil, tomato pesto is great as well. Think about adding some spice to your pesto + then mixing it with perfectly cooked vegetables.

Avocado pesto

Avocado alfredo via Tarts & Typography

Yes! You can make pesto with avocados + smother it on pasta + call it a day. You're welcome.

Zoodles

Kale pesto zucchini noodles and salmon via Kristine's Kitchen

A simple + trendy combination that gets even better with some pesto. Add pesto to zucchini noodles plus whatever you're serving with them, like salmon, too.

Potatoes

Walnut pesto potato salad via Canadian Living

Roasted potatoes are the best, but tossing roasted potatoes in pesto can really up the game. Make this for your next BBQ instead of the creamy kind of potato salad.

Eggs

Goat cheese scrambled eggs with pesto veggies via Pinch of Yum

This one's simple, but usually that's a good thing. Use pesto like a salad dressing with shredded kale, then serve with scrambled eggs with goat cheese.

Quinoa

Savory breakfast quinoa breakfast bowls via Simply Quinoa

Quinoa might be here to stay, and it's good that it goes so darn well with everything. Toss quinoa with pesto for an easy side dish or try it for breakfast with avocado + eggs.

Flammkuchen

Flammkuchen with pesto and tomatoes via What Should I Eat For Breakfast Today

It's not always easy to make your own pastry, but when you can make what is essentially the thinest, crisp pizza ever, you do it. Try this one with pesto, tomato + an egg for the heck of it.

Cauliflower risotto

Quick cauliflower risotto with asparagus + cilantro-basil hemp seed pesto via Half Baked Harvest

Cauliflower seems to be the most versatile vegetable ever, transforming into all sorts of dishes including a healthier take on risotto. This one features a pesto that subs in hemp seeds + adds cilantro.

Sandwich

Avocado Pesto Chickpea Salad Sandwiches via Edible Perspective

Last but not least, the sandwich. Pesto is incredible on a sandwich, but you can be more original than a tomato + mozzarella one. This one is packed with chickpeas tossed in an avocado pesto.

So what's your favorite way to enjoy pesto? Let me know in the comments!