49 Basil Recipes to Make Right Now (Because Your Garden Is Overflowing with It)

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pot, beginner-friendly, vegetarian, ready in <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

If you haven’t already made this one-pot wonder, it’ll revolutionize your pasta game. Instead of cooking the sauce and noodles in separate pots, everything happens together at the same time—the results are glossy, slurpable and downright gourmet.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, dairy free, beginner-friendly

Butter, cheese and cream are nice, but they’re not necessary to make a decadent meal. This vegan pasta dish is proof. The secret ingredient? Balsamic vinegar, which adds depth and tangy complexity.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, ready in <15 minutes

You know how salads always taste better when someone else makes them? (Don’t ask why; they just do.) Well, this basil-studded salad makes its own dressing. How’s that for effortless?

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook, vegetarian

When the produce is in season, it doesn’t need much adornment. Psst: This is your chance to show off how fragrant and supple your homegrown basil is. (Didn’t grow it yourself? Buy the best you can find at the farmers market.)

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <500 calories

We love the way that the herb garnish brightens up this otherwise homey, rich dish. It’s almost like we’re on a summer vacation in Italy—swoon.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, kid-friendly, vegetarian, beginner-friendly

Tomatoes and basil are basically the definition of “what grows together goes together.” In this sheet pan meal, they meld together in the oven and create their own sauce without much fuss on your part.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, one pan, <10 ingredients, high protein

Sorry, parsley. We’re garnishing this luxurious skillet pasta with our one true love, basil. With creamy ricotta and fresh summer squash, it just makes sense.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, vegetarian, <10 ingredients

Boring lettuce need not apply to this sweet-and-savory panini. While we adore summer peaches, you could also try swapping in plums for a variation.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 2 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, low sugar

Basil is magical enough to liven up even the laziest bowl of spaghetti and store-bought sauce, but why not shake up your routine and try this elevated, equally easy-to-make recipe instead? The eggplant is silky, and the walnuts add texture, providing a delicious lesson in contrasts.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

Love you, mayo, but you’re not invited to the picnic. This caprese number has all the beloved flavors of the Italian antipasto, plus portability and a sauce that won’t go south in the sun.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, ready in <30 minutes, vegan, gluten free, <10 ingredients

Your blender’s next trick? Blitzing up a few picture-perfect tomatoes into a refreshing, foolproof gazpacho that rivals any fancy restaurant’s. Bonus: It calls for less than ten ingredients.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, ready in <15 minutes, vegan, <500 calories

If you’re not putting super-flavorful herbs like basil in your morning smoothies, we urge you to reconsider. Aside from adding nutrients, it’s an easy way to take the flavor all the way to ten.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, vegetarian, <10 ingredients, high protein

The trick to getting a glossy, saucy result here is all in the pasta water. Make sure to save some before draining the noodles—it’ll cook down with the vegetables to coat the strands of pasta just so. Consider the basil garnish the cherry (tomato) on top.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, Instant Pot recipe, special occasion–worthy, high protein

Haters will say lasagna isn’t a summer food, but when you don’t have to turn on your oven to make it, we beg to differ. This one also happens to be vegan, NBD.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, kid-friendly, vegetarian, low sugar

Are you familiar with the old pesto switcheroo? That’s when you add additional greens—veggies, herbs, you name it—to the basil-based sauce for a nutritious upgrade. Here, it’s by way of green beans and peas, which is equal parts ingenious and kid-friendly.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, ready in <30 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

Newsflash: Fruit salad deserves an herb garnish too. We’re obsessed with this combo of feta, basil and the ever-so-underrated honeydew, but you could try cantaloupe or peaches too.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly

These skewers are sweet, tangy, salty and exactly the finger food we want to serve at our next backyard cocktail sesh—they’re ready in 15 minutes and pair really well with a glass of white wine.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, <10 ingredients, high protein

Put fresh corn, tomatoes and basil in the same dish and it’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser. Want to really seal the deal? Make it a one-skillet, minimal cleanup situation.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook, ready in <30 minutes, low sugar

With so few ingredients, the key to perfecting this beloved appetizer is all in the quality. This is the time to splurge on heirloom tomatoes and top-quality cheese. If you don’t grow your own basil, ask your pro-gardener neighbor if they’ll spare a few leaves.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

Pair this simple, picturesque Italian salad with cheese to take it to the next level. Mozzarella or ricotta are obvious choices, but goat cheese would be equally delish.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, gluten free, vegetarian, ready in <30 minutes

Homemade pesto is just one of those things that makes pretty much any food taste ten times better. Take zoodles for example: Alone, they’re a little snooze-worthy; with a healthy coating of basil-y sauce, you’ll wonder why you ever cared about spaghetti.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser

This salad is both easy enough to make on a weeknight and fancy enough to impress dinner party guests. It’s basically just a jazzed up caprese, and the sweetness of the corn fritters and peaches give the meal an unexpected (yet awesome) depth of flavor.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: low sugar, no cook, ready in <15 minutes

Traditional guacamole doesn’t need any zhuzhing, but this is a fun twist nonetheless. Pair it with tortilla chips, pita or even crackers.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, vegetarian

Pizza and potatoes: two things we love on their own, but together? Let’s not get carried away…just kidding, we’re totally going there. Thinly sliced spuds, creamy burrata and a generous shower of herbs makes for one mighty fine pie. (The dough is store-bought, so it’s also really easy to make.)

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

By now you understand that we love caprese salads, but can you guess why? It’s because they’re endlessly versatile and impossibly fresh. Serve this one with a drizzle of honey to take it over the top.

Most polenta is loaded with butter and cheese—we love that, but sometimes we crave a dinner that’s lighter and less decadent. This version is just as satisfying, but totally plant based. (The toppings are just a guideline, so feel free to go wild and clean out your fridge.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, <10 ingredients

Stop settling for the stuff in a can. Roasting fresh tomatoes concentrates their flavor, so even if your produce has seen better days, it’ll taste delicious in the end. If you’re pairing it with a grilled cheese, we suggest adding basil to that, too.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, ready in <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser

While cherry tomatoes are kind of key to the caprese theme, another seasonal vegetable (like zucchini or corn) would taste just as delicious here.

• Time Commitment: 23 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, vegetarian, low sugar, <500 calories

This pesto has more than one secret. In addition to being bolstered with broccoli, it’s brightened up with green olives for salty, briny flavor. (Don’t like olives? Just leave them out.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser, high protein, kid-friendly

Fresh basil is a welcome addition to the puddles of cheese in these stuffed shells. If you’re feeding a vegetarian crowd or just prefer to go meatless, you can omit the meat and simply add more crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, dairy free, ready in <30 minutes

A creamy pasta sans heavy cream? Yep, it’s possible. The juicy corn kernels are part of the trick, but so is the “milk” you’ll scrape from the cobs (not to mention cashews).

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, low sugar

This simple dish shines with fresh summer veggies, so head to your local farmers market stat. It’s excellent served on its own, but it also works as a side dish or even breakfast alongside a poached egg.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: <500 calories, vegetarian, vegan, make ahead

This stunning dish is a summer dinner party staple, but it also happens to be make ahead–friendly. Just prep the night before and blend when you want to serve. (While yellow tomatoes are sweeter and less acidic, you can use red if that’s all that’s available.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, low sugar, high protein, <500 calories

Pine nuts are top tier, but they’re also pricy. This basil pesto uses almonds in their place for a sauce that’s just as nutty and irresistible.

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <15 minutes, vegetarian, <10 ingredients

Have you ever had grilled cheese? We don’t mean the sandwich, we mean halloumi, which caramelizes when cooked but holds still its shape. Here, it’s paired with a simple mix of ripe tomatoes and basil—you’ll want to eat this one long after summer is over.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy, gluten free

Would you believe us if we told you this impressive dish requires just five ingredients? It’s true, and it can even be assembled ahead of time, so go ahead and bookmark it for your next cocktail party.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian

While we highly recommend seeking out locally grown tomatoes here (and bonus points if you grew them yourself), conventional cherry tomatoes will work just fine in a pinch. They’re more reliably tasty than regular grocery store tomatoes and roasting them concentrates the flavors even more.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion–worthy

Get ready for the oohs and ahhs, because this vibrant skillet is sure to please your dinner party guests. Lucky for you, it’s ready in less than an hour and calls for less than ten ingredients.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, ready in <30 minutes, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser

When crackers and onion dip won’t cut it, make this elegant, 15-minute appetizer instead. It looks like an Instagram fever dream and tastes even better.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion–worthy, vegetarian

When you want homemade pizza but can’t bother with all the effort, store-bought flatbread is your new best friend. This one is brimming with ricotta and zesty, briny toppings, so it tastes like it took hours to make.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: ready in <30 minutes, high protein

A fun fact about us is we love tinned fish in all its forms—and you should too. The anchovies in this dish practically melt into the sauce, adding rich umami flavor that can’t be replicated. (If you must leave them out, trying subbing in capers instead.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: low sugar, high protein, gluten free, dairy free

If you’ve never worked with kelp noodles, this recipe will have you hooked. Traditionally found in Korean dishes, they don’t need any cooking—just soaking—and happen to be gluten free and rich in nutrients like iron, vitamin K, calcium and fiber.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, <10 ingredients, high protein

When the weather calls for an alfresco feast, reach for this one-pan meal. It’s ready in about an hour, requires minimal cleanup and pairs just as well with a glass of wine as it does with your patio. Serve it with crust bread for mopping up the pan juices.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, ready in <30 minutes

It’s pizza night, but here’s the catch: You have 30 minutes and can’t order takeout. Sounds impossible? With store-bought dough and your cast iron skillet, it’s not. Use this recipe as a template and get creative with the toppings (just don’t skip the basil at the end).

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: Instant Pot recipe, ready in <30 minutes, dairy free

Instant Pot salmon is a thing, and it’s so tender and flavorful, you’ll never cook the fish another way again. To make this a full one-pot meal, you can toss in sliced shiitake mushrooms or snap peas, too.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegan, special occasion–worthy, gluten free

We never thought you could make a decadent risotto without butter and Parmesan, but then this one entered our lives and changed our minds. It’s vegan, but you wouldn’t know it (zucchini is sneaky like that). Use green squash if you can’t find yellow.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: low sugar, high protein, beginner-friendly

Listen, we love a mayo-based deli salad…but egg was never our favorite. (Just sayin’.) That is, until this version rolled around—it’s packed with creamy avocado and fresh herbs, so it tastes bright and fresh even with that aforementioned mayo.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, high protein, low sugar

Peaches on a pizza?! Believe it. The sweet stone fruit is the perfect foil to smoky grilled chicken and savory onions. Garnish it with fresh basil, a pizza must-have.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, ready in <30 minutes, one pot, vegetarian

Now that you’ve aced the O.G. one-pot pasta (see no. 1 on this list), it’s time to expand your repertoire. This one is like dinner in your back pocket: You probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen, and it’s ready to eat in a flash.