Recipes with Pesto
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Pesto Pasta Salad With Tomatoes and Mozzarella
This Caprese-inspired pasta toss is the ultimate summer main for a busy weeknight, outdoor picnic, or lunch on the go. Use yellow and red tomatoes for a stunning presentation and wonderful flavor variety.
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Rigatoni with Kale Pesto
Whole-wheat pasta would be a tasty option here, complementing the earthy flavor of kale.
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Chicken Pesto Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
It’s seems like portobello mushrooms were just made for stuffing. Not only is this loaded fork-and-knife-entrée easy and cheesy; it's customizable, too. Make it your own with any produce or herbs you already have in your fridge, you can even switch up the protein if you’re feeling like steak or serving a vegetarian guest. If you don’t mind the extra step, homemade pesto takes this dish from great to amazing.
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Chickpea Ravioli with Basil Pesto and Hazelnuts
This vegetarian pasta doesn't skimp on flavor or protein. Make extra pesto and freeze to use on other dishes such as grilled shrimp or Caprese salad.
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Spaghetti with Pistachio-Mint Pesto and Spinach
Pistachios lend deep, earthy flavors to this pasta dish that is ideal for potlucks and feeding large crowds.
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Tortellini with Snap Peas and Pesto
Taste the snap and crunch of springtime in this easy weeknight pasta dish.
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Open-Faced Chicken Sandwiches with Artichoke Pesto
Be sure to look for artichoke hearts that are canned in brine, not oil.
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Tomato and Prosciutto Sandwiches With Pea Pesto
Toast the leftover torn bread from the baguette for breadcrumbs (which you can freeze), or add to soup for a slightly thicker soup.
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Chicken, Tortellini, and Spinach Soup with Pesto
Diced tomato and a dollop of garlicky pesto add freshness and color to this quick chicken-pasta soup. Searing the chicken thighs first creates browned bits that add savory richness to the broth.
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Golden Chicken with Cilantro-Cashew Pesto and Coconut Rice
Tart lime and tangy yogurt provide a necessary fresh, bright kick to balance robust earthy notes from spices like curry.
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Mustard Green Pesto and Egg Open-Faced Sandwiches
This pesto works with any hearty greens; try turnip greens, kale, or chard. Any extra pesto will keep refrigerated for 4 days and frozen for up to a month.
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Pesto Caesar Salad
This is an excellent non-traditional spin on the classic favorite. The creamy dressing is infused with both the basil-garlic punch of pesto and the lemon-anchovy pungency of Caesar dressing.
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Zucchini Noodles Tossed in a Cilantro-Avocado Pesto
Enjoy zucchini raw and tossed in a creamy cilantro-avocado pesto sauce. This basic recipe—a lighter play on pasta salad—is versatile, welcoming any veggies you like.
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Pesto Pastries
Unlike classic pesto, there's no oil in this filling. Once everything is minced in the food processor, though, it develops a paste-like consistency. Thaw the pastry in the fridge overnight, or leave out at room temperature for an hour or two.
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Pepita Pesto-Stuffed Mushrooms
These pesto-filled, two-bite cremini mushrooms are perfect as an appetizer or as a side to grilled chicken or steak. The spicy Mexican-inspired pesto combines parsley, cilantro, pepitas, crushed red pepper and Cojita cheese for an innovative take on the traditional Italian recipe.
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Chicken, Red Grape, and Pesto Pizza
While grapes may be an unconventional pizza topping, they work wonders in this simple recipe. As a sweet contrast to nutty pesto and rich Italian cheeses, grapes are the perfect accompaniment to these ingredients. They’ll pick up caramelized flavor after time in the oven, taking on a toasty sweetness.
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Steak with Lemon-Herb Pesto and Spinach Salad
Be sure to put some of the pesto aside for a later weeknight dinner. It's herbaceous flavor pairs well with beef, chicken, and fish.
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Sausage and Kale Pesto Pizza with Blistered Tomato-Arugula Salad
Cooking pizza in a skillet is a revelation: guaranteed dough success for even the most timid pie makers—just pat the dough out to size, and the pan shapes it into a perfect circle.
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Sautéed Acadian Redfish with Pistachio and Orange Pesto
To grill instead, prepare an indirect, medium-heat fire. Stack the fillets in pairs, flesh side to flesh side, making 4 stacks. Place stacks on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 12 minutes or until desired degree of doneness—no need to flip.
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Grilled Trout with Roasted Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Celery Leaf Pesto
Say hello to your new favorite seafood dinner! This sweet and nutty autumnal recipe will make everyone at the table swoon.
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Butternut Squash Ravioli With Spinach Pesto
This is the easy way to use supermarket wonton wrappers for a weeknight ravioli treat. You can use this technique to make this deliciously sweet butternut squash ravioli topped with a fresh, herby pesto.
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Green Vegetable Soup with Lemon-Basil Pesto
Covering the pot when bringing the liquid to a simmer gets this soup ready even faster.
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Chicken Drumsticks with Cilantro Pesto
A homemade pesto gives grilled chicken drumticks party-time flavor, while a serrano chile adds a subtle kick to this zesty sauce.
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Linguine with Spinach-Herb Pesto
Here is a lovely twist on beloved pesto for spring. Baby spinach takes the place of most of the basil to give the sauce an earthy flavor. The thick, emerald sauce beautifully coats the flat noodles and serves up big flavor in every forkful.
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Shrimp Farfalle with Arugula Pesto
Arugula instills this pesto with a peppery bite that pairs beautifully with supple, slightly sweet shrimp.
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Broccoli and Pecorino Pesto Pasta
This nut-free pesto trades traditional pine nuts and Parmesan for broccoli and nutty-tasting pecorino Romano. Anchovy fillets add meatiness, but you can skip them if you like.
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Pesto Shrimp Kebabs
Fire up the grill and cue the mouth-watering goodness of pesto shrimp paired with grilled bell peppers.
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Halibut with Quick Lemon Pesto
Grated lemon rind and juice lend tartness to the pesto that enhances the natural flavors of this simple grilled fish.
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Sautéed Halibut with Lemon-Pesto Butter
Make extra lemon-herb butter. It's delicious tossed with steamed green beans, hot cooked rice, or pasta. Garnish with fresh basil.
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Pesto Shrimp Pasta
This delectable pasta dish features swirls of tender angel hair, plump shrimp, and grape tomatoes tossed with pesto. Garnish with sprigs of basil just before serving for extra color and a burst of freshness.
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Pita Pizzas with Kale Pesto, Tomatoes, and Bacon
Make-ahead prep tip: Double the pesto portion of the recipe, and freeze half for a future pita pizza dinner.
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Fall Vegetable Stew with Mint Pesto
The fresh, herby pesto adds a pop of bright flavor to earthy root vegetables, setting this stew apart from the ordinary. Best not to leave it out.
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Grilled Vegetable Caprese with Pesto
The original Caprese salad consists of mozzarella, tomato, and basil, but our take adds grilled vegetables and homemade pesto for a hearty twist.
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Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto
Gnocchi—small Italian potato dumplings—are a hearty alternative to pasta. While making gnocchi from scratch could take more than an hour, premade vacuum-packed dumplings cook in a few minutes.
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Broiled Red Snapper with Sicilian Tomato Pesto
Plum tomatoes work best in this recipe; juicier tomatoes would thin the pesto. No need to seed or peel them. You can make the pesto ahead and keep it chilled. Stir in the tomatoes just before serving.
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Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto and Sausage
A sprinkling of crumbled spicy sausage makes a salty-savory finishing touch to herb-drenched pasta. Some pestos tend to go drab, but this one stays a brilliant emerald green.