How about pizza tonight? It’s hard to beat classic pesto pizza. This simple vegetarian pizza recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It offers an irresistible combination of fresh, bright flavors from the basil pesto and tomatoes, plenty of cheesy mozzarella, and a bubbling crust with a satisfying chew.

This easy pesto pizza recipe comes together quickly with the help of your food processor. You can whip together the dough and pesto in about 15 minutes—just wipe down the processor in between the two components. If you’re looking for a super simple weeknight meal that’s better than take-out, use store-bought dough and pesto instead!

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It’s hard to beat a bowl of pesto pasta. Today, I’m sharing a classic basil pesto pasta recipe from start to finish! You’ll learn how to make basil pesto from scratch and toss it with freshly cooked noodles in perfect proportions.

I like my pesto pasta saucy, so I used a generous amount of pesto here, which is more affordable when you’re making your own pesto. It takes ten minutes or less to make pesto in a food processor, but you could certainly use store-bought pesto if you have a favorite brand.

This vibrant pesto pasta is quick and easy to make for dinner on a weeknight. It’s also a lovely side dish to serve at a dinner party or casual summer cookout. Get ready for the best pasta pasta you’ve ever had.

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Avocado pesto is a deliciously creamy and fun variation on classic basil pesto. This avocado pesto recipe replaces the olive oil with avocado, in addition to the usual basil, Parmesan and pine nuts (in these photos, I used pepitas instead, which are lovely as well). A squeeze of fresh lemon brightens and complements the flavors, and helps keep the avocado green.

You can use avocado pesto on pasta, of course. It makes a stellar veggie dip and sandwich spread, too. You’ll find more uses and tips for it below. The one caveat is that avocados brown with time, so it’s best used immediately or stored in a jar until you’re ready to serve.

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Arugula pesto is one of my favorite recipe components. It deserves the spotlight! If you enjoy arugula and basil pesto, you’ll love arugula pesto. It’s just as lovely as the regular kind.

As much as I appreciate traditional pesto made with basil, arugula pesto has a few advantages. For one, it offers an interesting twist on a familiar flavor profile. It’s also less expensive—buying fresh basil can add up at the grocery store. Year-round, it’s generally easier to find good arugula than basil. Lastly, arugula pesto doesn’t turn brown on the top like basil pesto can (no blanching required).

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Bookmark this simple pasta dish with peas and pesto! It is perfect for busy weeknights and you’ll be glad to have it. I’m so glad to have found this recipe in Gaby Dalkin’s latest book, Take It Easy. She sent me the book when it came out last fall and this recipe has saved us from ordering take-out several nights since then.

This pasta with peas and pesto comes together in under 30 minutes with basic ingredients and minimal fuss. It’s a fun, veggie-forward spin on classic pesto pasta designed for frozen peas. It’s great with store-bought pesto, though you can always make your own.

I can make this recipe with a toddler running around the kitchen, which says something, if you know what I mean. Grace enjoyed the leftovers for lunch today.

I love how this recipe comes together with just one pot and one bowl. To make it, you’ll bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the noodles. In the meantime, you can quickly defrost frozen peas in a colander by running cool water over them in the sink.

The peas taste so fresh and nice because they are not cooked. Gaby simply instructs us to whisk together a sauce of olive oil, lemon, garlic and Pecorino Romano cheese. Then we mash up about half of the peas into the sauce, leaving the rest whole. Add the warm pasta to temper the garlic, stir in some pesto, and your dinner is almost ready to go. Thank you for this one, Gaby!

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This pesto pasta salad is destined for your next gathering. Or at least, that’s what I hope! This recipe is light and so fresh. It’s perfect for parties, picnics and weeknight dinners, from spring through fall. Leftovers keep well for lunch, too.

Pesto and pasta are the stars of this show, naturally. To take it from pesto pasta to a true pasta salad, I added a pint of cherry tomatoes, a few handfuls of fresh arugula, and some cheese. I love salty feta in this recipe, though mozzarella and Parmesan are also great.

This pasta salad recipe includes homemade pesto made with a few little twists. Instead of pine nuts, I opted for more affordable pepitas (green pumpkin seeds). You can use pine nuts if you’d rather—or even walnuts or pecans.

I like to use half fresh basil and half fresh parsley, which tastes even more interesting and also cuts down on costs (buying lots of fresh basil can be expensive). You could certainly use all basil if you have an abundance growing in your garden. I also add some fresh lemon juice to brighten up the dish. Give it a try!

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Broccoli, pesto, and green olives—believe it! This pasta recipe tastes so fresh. It’s perfectly suited for springtime dinners, though I think you’ll want to keep it in your repertoire for the rest of the year. It’s a fun spin on classic pesto pasta that incorporates extra veggies.

I wouldn’t have come up with this pasta combination myself, so I’m glad I found the recipe in my friend Kelly Senyei’s new cookbook, The Secret Ingredient Cookbook. You might know Kelly from her blog, Just a Taste. Kelly is a delightful person, a professionally trained chef and a hard-working mom to three boys, all under the age of five.

Kelly’s new cookbook offers 125 family-friendly recipes with fun secret ingredient twists. I don’t want to spoil all the surprises, but I’m looking forward to trying the Caesar pasta salad (with avocado), Greek chopped salad (with halloumi cheese), 30-minute mac and cheese (with pumpkin) and mushroom ravioli with brown butter sauce (with goat cheese, and made entirely from scratch). And good gracious, wait until you see the desserts.

This broccoli pesto pasta recipe includes green olives as the secret ingredient. They offer a delicious briny olive flavor and cover up the flavor of the broccoli. She says her boys absolutely love this dish, so this dish is designed for the whole family. I found some ricotta in my fridge and really enjoyed a few dollops over my bowl. Serve it as you please!

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Looking for an easy way to liven up your meals? Add a fresh sauce! Let me introduce you to my latest favorite—this refreshing cilantro pesto recipe. It’s made simply with fresh cilantro, hemp seeds, garlic, optional jalapeño (for some heat) and olive oil.

Even if you don’t love cilantro, there’s a strong chance you’ll enjoy this sauce. My husband is typically in the “no cilantro” camp, but he kept going back for spoonfuls of this pesto.

I’m using the term “pesto” loosely here, since traditional basil pesto is made with basil, pine nuts and Parmesan. Instead of pine nuts, I used hemp seeds, which are high in protein and key minerals, including potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc.

When blended, the hemp seeds (also known as hemp hearts) become so nice and creamy that this sauce tastes complete without cheese. This nut-free and dairy-free pesto would be great with basil as well.

This recipe is inspired by a cilantro-hemp sauce that I enjoyed at True Foods Kitchen in Kansas City. They serve it on their “Ancient Grains Bowl,” which is topped with sweet potatoes, onions, portobello mushrooms and avocado. Naturally, this sauce goes well with all of the above, as well as almost any meal with Mexican-inspired flavors. You’ll find more ideas below!

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Is anyone else struggling to get back on the healthy train after Thanksgiving? I’m stuck on the pie train myself. My body wants greens but my brain wants more pie.

It’s so cold outside that salads don’t hold their usual appeal, so I whipped up some kale pesto instead. This recipe is super easy to make in your food processor and it’s ready in about five minutes.

Unlike traditional pesto, which is typically made with fresh basil and pine nuts, this recipe calls for kale and pecans. I love using pecans with kale because their light sweetness helps balance out the bitterness of the kale. You know what else helps balance out the kale? Salt and some heat. This pesto is best served on something warm.

This kale pesto recipe is a delicious way to pack in some greens this winter, and it’s the perfect use for the random bunch of kale in your fridge. You can use pesto for so much more than just pasta. I’ve provided some more uses below!

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I’m obsessed with pesto! Since I shared my classic basil pesto recipe, I’m sharing a collection of my favorite pesto-based recipes today. I love to toss it with pasta or zucchini noodles (zoodles), spread it on pizza or toast, or even thin it out for salad dressing.

Pesto is a great way to liven up your meal and incorporate fresh leafy herbs. My cookbook even includes my basic pesto recipe on the cut-out cheat sheet so you can tape it to the inside of your cabinet for easy reference! Get your copy here.

Creative Pesto Variations

It’s fun to make unconventional pestos with arugula, kale, cilantro and parsley instead of basil. You can also branch out from pine nuts—try almonds, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds, pecans, walnuts or hemp seeds. You can’t go wrong!

Sometimes, I even throw in an avocado to make the sauce extra creamy, or add a fresh jalapeño to make it spicy.

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