10 Deliciously Creative Ways To Use Pesto Beyond Pasta

When it comes to pesto, everyone's go-to use is pasta. Could anything be better? Probably not, but that's just where the fun starts with the tasty green sauce. There are plenty of deliciously creative ways to use pesto that expand well beyond your basic pasta dishes, and if you're looking to stretch its usability in your cooking, you've come to the right place.

As a lover of all things pesto, many of the delicious ways to use the sauce found below are ones we've tried and enjoyed countless times. We're confident they'll ensure you never have to toss out an opened jar of pesto ever again. After all, you only have about two weeks before it becomes questionable or you need to freeze it.

Let's get one thing straight before we dive right in: The term pesto refers to a type of rustic sauce, and it can be made with a wide variety of base ingredients, like pistachio, sun-dried tomato, and more. Even so, when someone mentions pesto, they are typically talking about basil pesto. With this in mind, the deliciously creative ways to use the sauce you find below are referencing basil pesto. However, that doesn't mean other types of pesto couldn't work as well. Food for thought, if you know what we mean.

Aside from pasta, pesto's best friend has to be the humble potato. As a carbohydrate, potatoes work like a blank canvas ready to soak up a world of flavor infusions. Sound like another carb we know? Yup, pasta. However, potatoes absorb even more of the yummy green sauce we know and love than any noodle could. Well, unless you stuff filled pasta with it, but we digress. Potatoes and pesto go hand-in-hand, and that includes almost all of their countless iterations — the potato and the pesto, actually.

Basil pesto is a shoo-in topping for anything from french fries to baked potatoes to mashed potatoes, and everything in between. If you know what's good for you, just the mention of pesto mashed potatoes should already have you drooling, so, yeah. Pesto and potatoes sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. This goes for more than just basic basil pesto, too, so the possibilities are truly limitless.

We're somewhat of a pierogi fanatic (we buy them in bulk). Pesto has graced the top of many pierogi in our home, and it's a use we highly recommend. Technically, though, pierogis are also pasta, and that's not what we're here for. It's okay, though. Just remember to spoon some pesto over your next potato dish, and you'll be glad you did.

Similar to potatoes, eggs are a veritable catch-all for a world of different flavors and ingredients. They are great with just a pinch of salt and pepper, as well, but why stop there? We're sure you can see where we're going with this, but eggs are another fantastic way to use pesto. Plus, it allows you to add an abundance of perfectly balanced flavors in one fell swoop. This applies to anytime you add pesto to a dish, but we often enjoy eggs for breakfast, so a shortcut like pesto is exceptionally valuable — if you are not a morning person, consider it a breakfast lifesaver.

On Reddit, someone recommends frying eggs straight in pesto and claims it's delicious. Enough said. Eggs, garlic, Parmesan, oil, and basil? Yes, please. A bit tongue-in-cheek, but another commenter also chimed in to say, "Add some ham, and you have green eggs and ham." Fun, right? If you want to get even more elaborate, another person raved about how delicious caprese eggs Benedict is. But wait, there's more. You can also add pesto to your egg mix for omelets or frittatas. Or, just wait until they're ready to enjoy and spread some over the top. Either way, pesto has what it takes to make whatever you create with eggs a flavorful wonderland.

No list of pesto uses outside of pasta would be complete without mentioning pizza. It's not the most creative of uses; everyone has at least heard of it, but oh man, is it a real stunner. Packed with many of the same flavors found in a traditional, red pizza sauce, like garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil, pesto is a no-brainer when you want a saucy switch-up.

If you want to go all in on pesto pizza, you can use it as the base for just about any type of pie you want. It's particularly good with chicken, but pesto's bold umami punch pairs with traditional veggie and meat toppings, as well. You really can't go wrong. However, you can also serve pesto on the side of a pizza and use it as a dip for the crust. Or, a favorite way is to pair pesto with Alfredo and red sauce, and make stripes of each on the base of the pizza, almost like an Italian flag. Also, if you've never tried a pizza with all three iconic sauces, this is your sign to give it a try.

Traditionally, fresh tomato bruschetta features diced tomatoes (duh) seasoned with garlic, basil, and olive oil, on top of little toasted slices of bread. However, if you want to make things simple, you can swap out the seasonings and just add a layer of pesto on the toast instead. After all, the same seasonings are there, so you'll still get all the freshness and umami that comes along with garlic and basil, you just won't have to piece it together one ingredient at a time. Pesto already has the work done for you.

Crostinis — aka bruschetta with different toppings — are another fantastic way to use up a jar of pesto. Our favorite crostini creation features a layer of pesto topped with a dollop of mascarpone cheese, crushed pistachios, and a sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes. We also love making crostinis with pesto, roasted garlic, and Castelvetrano olives. Since we are essentially talking toast, though, there's unlimited potential here, and that includes other types of pesto, as well. After all, what doesn't taste great on toast? Speaking of which, pesto is also phenomenal on garlic bread. So, if you're looking to upgrade a store-bought version or simply want your homemade loaf to grab the attention of anyone who gets a peek, pesto is here for the win.

If you think about it, pesto is basically a dip all by itself. Technically, it is a sauce, and an argument can be made for it being a condiment, as well, but all the real ones know it works well as a dip all by itself. Regardless, it has a whole lot more dip potential than many of us would think, especially if you add it to other recipes and don't just use it to dip your pizza crust or something else in. Not that it isn't a valid use, it's just not where the fun stops when it comes to pesto's true dipping potential.

Before you get an idea, pesto dips don't have to be anything fancy or elaborate. They can be, but if simple is the name of the game, you have plenty of options. A favorite way to incorporate pesto into a dip is to stir some into an already-made French onion dip. You know, the ones that you get in a packet and mix with sour cream? Yup, those are the ones, and the burst of umami from the garlic and the sweetness of the basil are exactly what is needed to take it over the top. Some other notable recommendations include stirring it into sour cream, hummus, or Greek yogurt. Easy-peasy. Pesto with whipped feta is another stand-out option.

Pesto and sandwiches are another match made in heaven. So much so that you must have been living under a rock (as the saying goes) if you've never heard of the combo before. Whether we are talking paninis, hoagies, pinwheels, wraps, or good old fashioned sandwiches, pesto has your back. There's no denying it has infinitely more flavor than mayo, too. So, next time you're making a sandwich, skip over the white gelatinous condiment (it doesn't even sound good when we describe it like that anyway), and grab your jar of pesto, instead.

For us, the most obvious sandwich choice for pesto is a classic grilled cheese. Bonus points if you dip it in tomato soup, as well (more on that later, though). However, pesto is also a drool-worthy addition to veggie sandwiches with hummus, meaty sandwiches, and more. You can also add pesto to tuna salad and chicken salad sandwiches. You could even take everything you need to make caprese and turn it into a sandwich. Seriously, the possibilities are truly limitless here. Whatever sandwiches speak to you, though, just remember pesto is just as good as mayo — we'd argue better — on a world of them. Speaking of which, is it time for lunch yet?

Pesto is all about fresh flavors with a burst of umami, and you know what that's good for? Meat. That's right, from the land to the sea, your favorite protein is just begging for some of pesto's deliciousness, as well. The first meat to come to mind is chicken. Considering how often we put chicken on pasta, pesto's first true love, this isn't too surprising. Still, it had to be said. Plus, you can get a double whammy by adding pesto and chicken to things like pizza or sandwiches — dishes we now know thrive with a bit of help from our trusty green friend.

Pesto is also perfect for upgrading steak with vibrant flavors. Not that a good steak needs much, but the freshness of basil and the umami of garlic take them to new heights. On Reddit, people also recommend slathering shrimp, turkey breast, and more with pesto. One commenter said, "We season our baked salmon with pesto score half the time. It ends up being very moist and tasty." Good to know. There's always meatballs, too. Whether you make yours with beef or turkey, pesto ensures they don't dry out while cooking. The Parmesan cheese (if there's enough) will also help your meatballs stay intact.

Another catch-all for pesto comes to us in the form of vegetables. They may not be everyone's favorite — we're looking at you kids — but pesto has what it takes to turn even the stinkiest of veggies into a dish kids won't turn their noses up at. That can be a tall order for some, but we've seen it happen in real time. We even know a child who decided they like Brussels sprouts after trying them with pesto. True story.

The recommendations for pesto and veggies are never-ending. From green beans to broccoli to peas and beyond, the people succinctly approve. Stirring it through wilted spinach also stands out as a great combination. After all, cooked spinach isn't the biggest crowd-pleaser all by itself. We also like to add pesto to corn, eggplant, cauliflower, and carrots. This goes for any cooking method, as well. Fried, roasted, sautéed, whatever, finishing off your veggies with a bit of pesto will serve you well.

Lest we forget the veggies that sometimes stand in for noodles, too, like spaghetti squash and zucchini. They both have the ideal texture to form makeshift noodles, so yeah, they get along with pesto quite well. So, when you don't want to think about seasoning your vegetables, let pesto show you how it is done. 

It may seem like an unlikely pairing, but pesto and soup actually go together really well. We know it's a sauce, and that's not something you typically add to soup, but it makes a great garnish on quite a few of them. Think of it more like a condiment in this case, and the concept falls right into place. Regardless, pesto is your one-stop solution to adding lots of bright, fresh flavor to a myriad of soups.

Our favorite soup to stir pesto into is tomato. No explanation needed, right? Pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich, and you're in heaven. Putting a dollop of pesto on top of a bowl of spicy veggie chili also balances out the heat and brightens the overall flavor. It could even elevate chicken and rice or potato soup. Oh, yeah, the renowned Ina Garten adds store-bought pesto to minestrone, too, so, point proven.

You can go ahead and add pesto to the list of ways to make canned soup taste more homemade. Additionally, if you get into pestos that aren't simply basil, the possibilities become never-ending. Just think about how many different types of canned soups would benefit from a spoonful of sun-dried tomato pesto. Our guess is almost all of them.

Yeah, yeah, risotto is akin to pasta, but before anyone gets their feathers ruffled, it's actually rice. Arborio rice, to be exact. We may lump it in with pasta because it's an Italian staple, but it definitely isn't noodles. Now that we have that settled, infusing your next batch of risotto with pesto is a stellar idea. It adds tons of fresh flavor, and, as well known by now, a delicious burst of umami (thanks, garlic). Perfect.

Since risotto is somewhat of a blank canvas, pesto takes to it like a pro. From there, you can also add any number of other ingredients, like meat, veggies, whatever you want, really. We like to add extra pine nuts and Parmesan cheese to boost the pesto flavor even more. Besides, extra cheese is pretty much always a good idea. If you are smart, which you are, you'll make a big enough batch to ensure leftovers. Not just for lunch the following day, either. In case you don't already know, leftover risotto is the key to making arancini (cheesy rice balls) that stay intact. Arancini is already unbelievably tasty as-is, but turn the delightfully gooey, crunchy dish into pesto arancini, and it only gets better. Yes, please.