An online lifestyle magazine for Christian women
One of my favorite herb garden staples is basil. By the time fall rolls around, I often find myself with an excess of this herb and a need to find creative uses for it. If you have an herb garden, you may wonder what to do with fresh basil.
I find that I use small amounts of basil throughout the season for smaller appetizers and dinners. Toward the end of the growing season, I need recipes that use up what I have left. Bonus points if they can be frozen!
Here I’m sharing some of my favorite tried and true uses for fresh basil. I hope this inspires you to put your herb garden to use. If you don’t have an herb garden, perhaps you’ll want to give it a try!
Pesto is first on the list, because it is hands down my favorite way to use an abundant garden harvest of basil. I love it because you can make a few big batches and freeze them for later use. I’m still enjoying basil pesto from last year’s herb garden!
I recently tried making pesto butter with some of the pesto I had stashed in my freezer. It was absolutely delicious! I brought some pesto butter and a loaf of fresh baked bread to a small family get-together, and it was a hit. If you already have pesto made, this recipe comes together so quickly.
Bruschetta is a delicious way to use whole basil leaves. I make bruschetta in a very simple yet delicious way. Slice a thin loaf of Italian bread, drizzle with olive oil, and toast in your oven (I do 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about ten minutes). Layer a basil leaf, slice of fresh milk mozzarella, and a tomato slice on the warm bread. Enjoy!
Basil pesto makes for a delicious pasta dish! I love making pesto pasta because if you’ve already prepared the pesto, most of your work is already done. I’ve made a pasta and chicken dish and just added the pesto all by itself as a sauce. It tastes amazing! Or, you can try one of my favorite pesto pasta recipes below.
I love a classic margherita pizza, and the fresh basil is the final touch that makes this dish so delicious. But really, you could add basil as a topping to a variety of different pizzas – just wait until the end to add it so that it doesn’t wilt in the oven.
Are you noticing a pattern here? Basil and tomatoes are a winning combination! Enjoy this mouthwatering power duo by making your own caprese salad with fresh basil.
What’s your favorite way to use fresh basil? Share your ideas in the comments!
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