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aachenelf

Creative ways to use pesto

aachenelf z5 Mpls
16 years ago

Pesto isn't passé is it? Could care less if it is. I still love it and am eating lots of it right now.

Have you come up with any tasty, innovative ways to use this other than just tossing with pasta? I am going to have some for dinner tonight and thought I would add some chopped tomato to the pasta and pesto. Can't imagine how this would be bad.

Also love sour cream mixed with the pesto and then tossed with the pasta.

Comments (15)

  • Driftless Roots
    16 years ago

    I like it on chops, lamb or pork.

    It does play well with tomatoes, too so go for it!

  • qylliam
    16 years ago

    I use it now when i make couscous. It's the only way i can get my husband to eat it. he feels couscous is "too dry" without a sauce. It's quite delicious.

    It's really good with couscous and green onions....beside chicken or something. I feel it goes well with sandwiches and shrimp as well.

    i may like food too much.

    i had this blue cheese this weekend.....mmmmm

  • turkeytaker
    16 years ago

    It's great on sandwiches, wraps, pita pockets, crackers.

    I like to mix it with mozzarella, sundried tomatoes, and oil and put it on bread. When I make pizza, calzones, or little pizza dough puff things, I sometimes use that as filling instead of tomato sauces.

    It's also good frozen into cubes and munched like candy.

    Oh! Wicked omelettes! Olives, pesto, feta, shrooms, chicken, whatever.

    I love pesto.

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Why didn't I think of using it on pork? That sounds perfect. The couscous idea is also good since I rarely make this stuff, but always love it when I do. And yes, pesto and eggs is a winner. I often will add a bit to my scrambled eggs during the winter when I can go to the freezer and raid my stash.

    The tomatoes and pesto was very good by the way. I really liked the cool (room temp) tomatoes with the warm pasta.

    K

  • clairewags
    16 years ago

    I recently pounded out chicken breasts and "stuffed" them with a pesto/pine nut/cheese mixture. Spoon the mix on the biggest end of the chicken and roll, put in oven dish seam side down, spoon a little more mix on top and bake.

  • tuezday1
    16 years ago

    I don't think there is anything I won't spread pesto on or put it in. Right now my thing is thin sliced tomatoes with a thin spread of pesto (hummus, brie, smoked salmon on tomatoes too).Use your imagination.

  • Driftless Roots
    16 years ago

    Slathered on hot corn on the cob. I had forgotten about that one until last night.

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Clara - the chicken sounds divine. I bet it would also work to take chicken thighs and stuff them under the skin. I've used some sort of ginger, butter mixture like that and it was very good.

    Corn on the cob - will try that this weekend. Can't see how it could fail. Here's another corn on the cob recipe I make a lot.

    1 stick butter
    2 T Dijon
    2 tea. horseradish
    1 T parsley
    salt and pepper

    Mush together and smear on 8 cobs corn. Wrap in foil and grill.

  • rita_h
    16 years ago

    Slather on any mild white fish and grill, broil, or panfry -- halibut, cod, etc. If you BBQ, try also planked on cedar or alder instead of plain grill... mmmm.

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Now I'm thinking of making a pesto cream sauce for chicken breast.

  • clairewags
    16 years ago

    Almost forgot about pizza! Use the pesto as a sauce, chicken, sun dried toms, artichokes and your fave white cheese.

  • michigoose
    16 years ago

    I freeze my pesto in ice cube trays and then break them out and put them in a plastic bag in the freezer. I throw them in soups and with veggies as well as eating with chicken and pastas. Not very inventive, but I do love it so.

    And whoever thinks it is passe needs to be whipped with a basil plant while having garlic cloves shoved in their ears.

  • aachenelf z5 Mpls
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I think my pesto making is over for the season. I harvested a lot a week or so ago and it just doesn't seem to be growing back very fast. I think it's the fading light. Sigh.

    I freeze a lot of this too. Another way to do this is to put about 1 1/2 cups of pesto in a quart freezer bag. Lay it on it's side and flatten it out. Then put it in the freezer. When you want some, just break off a piece.

  • Driftless Roots
    16 years ago

    We put ours in a heavy, low plastic lidded container. Make it like normal and pour an extra thin layer of olive oil over the top. This keeps it from browning.

  • pesto-fan
    13 years ago

    I am always making pesto recipes. Here's one favorite:

    Pesto recipe: Pesto Stuffed Hamburgers
    Ingredients:
    1 lb. lean ground beef
    1/4 cup pesto
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    pinch pepper
    1/4 cup pesto
    4 thin slices Havarti cheese
    4 English muffins, split
    2 tablespoons butter

    Directions:
    Prepare and preheat grill. In medium bowl combine ground beef, 1/4 cup pesto, salt, and pepper and mix gently just until combined. Form into 8 thin patties. Divide 1/4 cup pesto between 4 of the patties and top with slices of cheese. Top with remaining thin patties and gently press sides to seal.
    Cook, 4-6" from medium coals, for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until thoroughly cooked (internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F). Or cook on a dual sided indoor grill for 6-7 minutes until thoroughly cooked.
    Spread butter on cut sides of English muffins and either toast on grill or in toaster oven. Serve burgers on muffins.

    It's really yummy. My favorite pesto recipe site is www.allpesto.com.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pesto Stuffed Hamburger Recipe

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