The Many Ways With ... Pesto: One Recipe, 13 Ideas

Pesto, the famous herb sauce from Genoa is rich, flavorful and very versatile. Italian for paste, pesto is just that -- a paste classically made of basil, garlic, pine nuts, dry cheese and olive oil. But pesto is not limited to any of those ingredients. We'll show you how to take pesto to the next level.

Traditionally pesto is made in a mortar and pestle, but it's also simple enough to make in the food processor. Why bother buying jarred pesto? Make it easily at home yourself, and customize it to your tastes. Use the guide below for some ideas for swapping out ingredients to make your own customized pesto (use our basic pesto recipe for amounts.)

For the Herbs: basil, parsley, mint, cilantro, spinach, arugula, broccoli rabe

For the Nuts: pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds, Brazil nuts

For the Cheese: Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, Asiago, Manchego

Pesto is more than just a topping for pasta. It works in a number of recipes. Treat it like a sauce, topping, condiment or ingredient. Our collection of recipes includes more than a dozen ways to use pesto, such as a salad dressing, condiment, marinade, glaze, etc. Start with our basic pesto recipe using any combination of herbs, nuts and cheese. Then use the pesto in any of the following recipes. Be a creative cook in the kitchen!