If you've been following along, you know I'm obsessed with pesto. That vibrant, herby, garlicky sauce makes literally everything better. I created a whole pesto series - a from-scratch basil walnut pesto and two incredible pesto recipes for dinner that use it as the star ingredient. Here's the full collection so you can pesto all the things.
Pesto is one of those rare ingredients that turns almost anything into a 20-minute dinner. A spoonful stirred into hot pasta, dolloped on grilled chicken, swirled into soup, or spread on crusty bread instantly adds layers of flavor without any extra effort. And while store-bought pesto is fine in a pinch, nothing beats the bright, herby punch of fresh homemade basil pesto - especially in summer when basil is abundant and cheap.
The recipes on this page range from traditional Genovese basil pesto (plus tips for freezing batches to enjoy all winter) to creative dinner ideas that put pesto at the center of the plate. You'll find weeknight pesto pastas, pesto chicken dishes, pesto-stuffed proteins, and ways to stretch a single jar of pesto across multiple meals. If you've been tossing your pesto with spaghetti and calling it a night, this collection will change the way you cook with it.
Basil Walnut Pesto Recipe - 5 Minutes, Endless Possibilities
This is where it all starts. Five minutes, a handful of fresh ingredients, and you've got the most vibrant homemade pesto. Make a big batch - you're going to want it for the recipes below.
Blackened Shrimp Pasta with Basil Walnut Pesto
Bold blackened shrimp meets creamy basil walnut pesto pasta in this absolute showstopper dinner. The combination of smoky seasoning and fresh pesto is unreal.
Chicken Tender Pasta Recipe with Basil Walnut Pesto
Crispy chicken tenders sliced over a bed of pesto pasta - this is comfort food at its best. Kid-approved, adult-obsessed, and on the table fast.
Pesto Chicken Meatballs
Fresh basil pesto baked right into juicy chicken meatballs. These are incredible over pasta, on a sub, or just eaten straight off the pan with a fork.
My recommendation? Start with the basil walnut pesto recipe and make a double batch. Then work your way through the blackened shrimp pasta and the chicken tender pasta throughout the week. Your kitchen will smell incredible and your family will think you're a genius.
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