Forget ordinary Genovese basil pesto! This Thai Basil Pesto recipe bursts with a unique peppery aroma, adding a depth of flavor you won't find in its Italian cousin.
Why You'll Love This Thai Basil Pesto Recipe
This Thai basil pesto recipe is super simple, super fresh, and super fast! Clean up is a snap also. You'll love the the versatility of this pesto. It's marvelous as a light dressing tossed with roasted potatoes, hot pasta noodles, and grilled seafood or meat.
Ingredients Overview
This Thai basil pesto recipe will make a basil pesto with a little more spicy flair than regular sweet basil does. It's absolutely delicious too!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Pro Tip - Finding Thai Basil
Look for fresh Thai basil your Asian food market produce section. You can literally get 8 oz bags of fresh Thai basil for under $5.
How To Make This Thai Basil Pesto Recipe
Bringing together fragrant Thai basil leaves with fresh walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil creates a flavor experience like no other! Get out your food processor and let's get cooking - it's time for an herb-filled bowl of freshly made Thai basil pesto!
Step 1: Wash basil and gently shake off any excess water. Gently pat dry with some paper towels while removing the leaves from the stems.
Step 2: Roughly chop the walnuts, grate the Parmesan cheese, peel the garlic cloves, zest the lemon, and then squeeze the lemon for juice.
Pro Tip - Grating Garlic
Grate the cloves of garlic, it ensures a better incorporation, and prevents any chunks of garlic in the final pesto sauce.
Step 3: Lightly toast the chopped walnuts in a skillet on medium heat, then allow to cool.
Step 4: Place Thai basil, grated Parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts, sliced garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the food processor.
Step 5: Use the pulse function on your food processor until you get a uniform texture. Scrape the sides and again pulse about 30 seconds so that all ingredients are incorporated evenly.
Step 6: Slowly add the olive oil while mixing on high to create a creamier texture, or until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you want more spice add a small amount of Sriracha sauce and pulse for 10 seconds. Serve immediately on hot pasta, steaks, or as a dip.
Serving Suggestions
This Thai basil pesto recipe is simple, customizable, and super fresh. You can serve it as a dressing for Spaghetti with Oil and Garlic (Aglio e Olio), as a dip for fresh veggies and bagel chips.
You can also use it instead of a Chimichurri steak sauce. And, it is phenomenal on grilled fish like our Air Fryer Salmon and Asparagus and Broiled Chicken Thighs!
Ways To Use Thai Basil Pesto
Here are few other great ideas for using this Thai basil pesto recipe:
- Prepare an omelette and before adding cheese and folding smear a teaspoon of Thai basil pesto on the setting eggs. Add cheese, fold, and serve.
- Add the Thai basil pesto to a bowl and mix with cream cheese, sour cream, or some mayonnaise to create a creamy pesto dip. Serve with crackers, chips, and veggies.
- Spread some Thai basil pesto on a pizza round, top with some topping like ham, bacon, cheeses, and mushrooms. Bake and enjoy!
- Add a last minute grind of fresh black pepper or a fresh shaving of Parmesan cheese, and you have a meal made in heaven.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful tips and substitutions when making this recipe:
- If you can't find any Thai basil, simply use regular Italian sweet basil.
- You can use any nuts that you prefer. I usually used toasted pecans instead of walnuts due to a sensitivity I have to walnuts.
- Romano or Asiago cheese is a delicious substitute to the Parmesan cheese.
- Fresh grated cheese will taste the best in this condiment sauce.
Tips for Success
Helpful tips to help you when making this recipe:
- Use ice cube trays or freezer cubes to store excess pasta, and herbs. They are ready to use at a moments notice for soups, sauces, and dips.
- Grate the garlic on a microplane or fine grater. This will ensure the garlic is evenly distributed.
- Use as good a quality of olive oil as you can afford.
- Season at the end of the processing.
- If you decide to use fresh spicy peppers, use nitrile gloves to handle, seed, and slice them. This will protect your eyes and lip from burning later.
Storage Options
Some recommended storage options for leftovers when making this recipe are:
- Store any unused pesto sauce in a Mason or Ball canning jar, or a bail jar. Keep in the refrigerator up to one week.
- Freeze leftovers in small cube freezer trays for longer use.
- After frozen, pop them out and keep the frozen Thai basil pesto cubes in a freezer bag.
Related Recipes
- Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
- Easy Pesto Orzo
- Simple Italian Vinaigrette
- Italian Tomato Salad
- Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a little bit. Thai basil is stronger, a little bit more peppery like Arugula, and a stronger hint of anise than sweet basil. It's a great combination, kind of like Arugula, sweet basil, and a little fennel all in one bite.
Italian Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Thai Basil Pesto
Equipment
- Cuisinart Food Processor
Ingredients
- 4 cup Thai Basil fresh, often found in Asian Grocery Stores
- 1¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 clove garlic grated
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest fresh zest
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice fresh juice
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Optional
Instructions
- Wash the Thai basil and gently shake off excess water. Gently pat dry with some paper towels while removing the leaves from the stems.
- Roughly chop the walnuts, grate the Parmesan cheese, peel and grate the garlic cloves, zest the lemon, and then squeeze the lemon for juice.
- Lightly toast the chopped walnuts in a skillet on medium heat, then allow to cool.
- Place Thai basil, grated Parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts, grated garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the food processor.4 cup Thai Basil, 1¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup walnuts, 2 clove garlic, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- Use the pulse function on your food processor until you get a uniform texture. Scrape the sides and pulse again for about 30 seconds so that all ingredients are incorporated evenly.
- Slowly add the olive oil while mixing on high to create a creamier texture, or until you reach your desired consistency.⅔ cup olive oil
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you want more spice add a small amount of Sriracha sauce and pulse for 10 seconds.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- Serve immediately on hot pasta, steaks, or as a dip.
Notes
- Use ice cube trays or freezer cubes to store excess pasta, and herbs. They are ready to use at a moments notice for soups, sauces, and dips.
- Chop the walnuts up kind of small so they get more toasting, which adds to the flavor.
- Season at the end of the processing.
- If you decide to use fresh spicy peppers, use nitrile gloves to handle, seed, and slice them. This will protect your eyes and lip from burning later.
- Substitute Pine Nuts for the Walnuts if you prefer.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition calculations are for 8 two ounce portions.
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