The best substitute for basil in pesto

Basil pesto is a rich and delicious solution to many different otherwise bland and boring recipes, from pizza and pasta to sandwiches or even roast beef. It’s versatile and elegant, despite being incredibly easy to make at home.

But what if you don’t like basil or don’t have it?

There are many substitutes you can use for basil and still create a delicious pesto. The best substitutes for basil in pesto are leafy greens, such as spinach, kale, arugula, watercress, or even seaweed, or herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, mint, sage. or tarragon. Better yet, use a combination!

In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each of the best basil substitutes in pesto, and how you can create your own flavor.

Traditional pesto ingredients

Traditional pesto is Italian and quite specific in terms of ingredients, although each family probably has their own spin on it to make it unique.

The base of this sauce is basil , preferably fresh young basil leaves, chopped so finely that they form a thick paste.

Olive oil is the next most important ingredient, and high-quality extra virgin olive oil will add a rich, spicy flavor to your pesto.

To complement these two crucial ingredients, fresh garlic, cured Parmesan and creamy pine nuts round out the list of traditional ingredients.

The best substitutes for basil in pesto

Basil is an herb that is bursting with flavor and rich in nutrients, but it is quite a leafy herb. This offers a lot of room for experimentation and variety when substituting it into pesto.

You have the option of using alternative herbs, each of which has its own distinctive flavor, or with leafy greens. Of course, you also have the option of combining both for a truly unique mix.

The following suggestions are not the only substitutes, but in our test kitchen they have proven to be the most successful.

Using Vegetables in Pesto

If the strong flavors of herbs are overwhelming, you may be inclined to use leafy greens in your pesto.

Being older plants, their flavors are slightly milder and less spicy, although they are still strong enough to create a powerful sauce, especially when enhanced with nuts, cheese and olive oil.

spinach pesto

Of all the substitutes you will read about, spinach is the mildest in flavor and works best when combined with one of the herbs , especially cilantro or mint , as they are two of the most potent herbs.

You can use fresh spinach from your garden, baby spinach or regular spinach and it will come out silky.

Spinach is a bit more watery than other vegetables, so it creates a thinner, smoother pesto.

If you like it chunky, don’t process it so much or, better yet, chop the spinach leaves with a sharp knife instead of using the food processor.

Kale Pesto

Kale is another great leafy green for pesto, but it has a stronger flavor that will stand out more than spinach.

If you’re using baby kale, you can just chop or process it as usual, but if you have older kale, dinosaur kale, or any of the stronger varieties, you may want to blanch or massage it before adding it to the pesto.

Kale can be quite tough, and adding it raw to your food processor can end up with a stringy pesto.

To avoid this, you can scald it by adding the leaves to a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes and immediately plunging them into ice water to stop the cooking process.

You can also pluck the leaves by hand, add a little olive oil, and spend about 5 minutes massaging the leaves before finely chopping or processing. This breaks the fibers, making the leaves less fibrous and more delicate.

rocket pesto

Arugula is an amazing and highly underrated leafy green. It’s spicy and has all kinds of flavor and attitude.

It’s a fantastic substitute for basil in pesto, but it certainly brings its own spiciness profile.

You can substitute the basil in your pesto recipe for arugula in the exact measurements, or you can combine it with spinach or any of the herbs mentioned below.

The almost citrusy flavor of fresh cilantro pairs especially well with arugula.

watercress pesto

Raw watercress can be quite pungent, depending on how it’s grown and the age of the plant, just like mustard greens or radish sprouts. You may not want to substitute watercress for all the basil, but create a spicy variation on traditional pasta.

To reduce some of the heat, you can blanch the watercress or even cook it for up to 5 minutes before chilling and using it in the pesto.

Olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan also take it away, but pair it with our next suggestion, seaweed, and you’ll end up with a bowl of hot and salty magic.

seaweed pesto

Substituting seaweed for basil in pesto is unusual and completely delicious.

The salty, somewhat earthy green flavor of seaweed pairs perfectly with the buttery goodness of pine nuts and rich olive oil.

However, for the best flavor , instead of using raw garlic, try using roasted garlic. You won’t be disappointed.

You will need to soak the dried seaweed sheets before using them.

Use of herbs in pesto

Basil is an herb, so it makes sense to substitute another one if you need a substitute. However, basil is a particularly leafy herb, so something like rosemary can add a lovely flavor to your pesto, but it won’t give it the body it needs.

The following herbs will not only add a unique and wonderful flavor to your sauce, but will also turn it into a proper sauce or spread, just the way you like it.

parsley pesto

Parsley is the herb that most substitutes for basil in pesto, probably because it is so common.

Most people are familiar with the flavor of parsley and don’t find it too overpowering when used in abundance in a sauce.

When making a parsley pesto, always squeeze ¼ to ½ of a lemon into the mixture to bring out the flavors and tame the bitter edge.

coriander pesto

Cilantro is a controversial herb that most people either love or hate. Very few fall in the middle of the spectrum. If you like cilantro, you will quickly become addicted to cilantro pesto.

The fresh cilantro has a bit of a nutty flavor, hidden by the citrus spice, but brought to life by the pine nuts and Parmesan in the pesto.

It’s fresh, green, and possibly the best way to use cilantro in any recipe.

mint pesto

Mint pesto is probably the most unusual suggestion in this article, but it’s worth a try, especially if you add a squeeze of lemon or lime to the mix. It also goes well with parsley.

The flavor is so bright, fresh and original that it will make headlines if you bring it out at a party.

sage pesto

Sage works perfectly in pesto because it has a piney flavor that works great with nuts of any kind.

Sage leaves are smaller than some of the other options, so pairing it with something like baby spinach or kale will fill out your pesto a little better, without taking away from the herb.

tarragon pesto

Tarragon, similar to sage, has smaller leaves, so it will make the best pesto when combined with another basil substitution.

It has an almost licorice flavor, not as overt as aniseed, but quite noticeable.

Parsley is a great herb to combine, since both enhance their flavors very well.

Simple basil pesto recipe

In most modern kitchens, simple basil pesto is made by combining a few ingredients in a food processor and blending until almost smooth.

Not everyone loves basil or has access to a fresh bouquet in a pinch. Most of today’s home cooks are less committed to tradition and more opportunistic.

Any of the great basil substitutes listed above can substitute for basil in this simple recipe.

• 1 large bunch or handful of fresh basil
• 3 - 4 garlic cloves
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 - 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Related questions

What is a good substitute for pine nuts in pesto?

Pine nuts add a buttery flavor and creamy texture to pesto, so substituting for them requires something that provides a similar experience.  Good choices are walnuts, cashews, or raw almonds.

Some people even substitute nuts for it. Peanuts, in general, are too flavorful to be a good substitute, but if you soak raw peanuts, they work quite well.

What is a red pesto substitute?

The red pesto is a mixture of garlic, basil, olive oil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and, the star ingredient, sun-dried tomatoes.

If you don’t have the sundried tomatoes, you can substitute any other form of pesto you can create, and if you want it to be red, you might consider using fresh or marinated tomatoes, or roasted red peppers, or even roasted carrots for added richness.

Marinated artichoke hearts or capers will also give it a nice salty flavor, but without the red.

Can you make pesto without garlic?

You can make pesto without garlic if you have a sensitivity or intolerance to it for whatever reason, but it is an important part of the flavor.

You can just remove it from the recipe, but it might be a good idea to add some other ingredient that has a flavor you like, like caramelized onion (which would taste AMAZING in pasta ).

However, if you simply don’t have fresh garlic, you can also consider dried or minced garlic or even a little garlic salt or another spice mix that includes garlic in its list of ingredients.