recipes

43 Basil Recipes So You Can Eat and Drink It At Every Meal

Sweet, sweet basil deserves all of your attention. Pay it proper respect with these delicious recipes.
Image may contain Dish Food Meal Noodle and Pasta
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Yes, you should be making copious amounts of pesto with your summertime basil. But this sweet herb is good for a whole lot more than sauce. These 43 basil recipes prove it. From a teeteringly tall green salad with those gorgeous green leaves tucked between each layer to a warm dressing you’ll want to drizzle over all your summer veg to a cold shrimp and noodle dish that’s as refreshing as a dip in a pool, these basil recipes make use of the season’s No. 1 herb. Oh, and before you go out and buy a whole bunch (or start growing your own) we have a few important tips for how to store it and how to keep it from going bad.

  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
    5/43

    Everyday Greens Salad

    A salad that brings the drama. It's at its highest—and most delicious—with a variety of leaves, some mild and large (butter, Bibb, Little Gem), some spicy and small (like arugula).

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    6/43

    Bright and Spicy Shrimp Noodle Salad

    A punchy fish sauce vinaigrette works as a marinade and as a dressing for glass noodles and handfuls of basil and cucumber.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    7/43

    Summer Bolognese

    Think of this weeknight-friendly pasta recipe as a lighter take on the classic Italian ragù that features cherry tomatoes, a red chile for some heat, and tons of fresh basil.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    8/43

    BA’s Best Pesto

    The key is to add the basil at the very end instead of blending everything all at once.

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