19 Vibrant Pesto Recipes with Big Flavor

Just a simple spoonful of pesto can make your everyday meals taste much more special and interesting with very little work. These pesto recipes show you all the different ways to use it, from mixing it into pasta and spreading it on meat to using it in sandwiches and salads. Everything you make will have a fresher and more flavorful taste when you add pesto to the dish. Whether you are cooking for yourself or for a big group, these ideas make dinner exciting without being difficult. Once you try them, you will always want to have a jar of pesto in your kitchen.

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

This pasta dish comes together faster than you could get food delivered, with a creamy sauce that uses sun-dried tomatoes for a sweet and tangy flavor. The Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta is much better than regular pesto pasta, and you can add chicken or shrimp to it or just keep it as a simple vegetarian meal.
Get the recipe: Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

Pesto Butter Salmon recipe

The salmon bakes up incredibly juicy and full of flavor, with the butter making the pesto taste extra rich and delicious for a meal that is ready very quickly. You can serve this Pesto Butter Salmon with a side of rice and some roasted vegetables for a dinner that looks fancy but takes almost no work to prepare.
Get the recipe: Pesto Butter Salmon recipe

Basil Pesto Star Bread

You can pull apart this fun, star-shaped bread at your next party, and it looks like you worked on it for hours but is actually very simple to make. The Basil Pesto Star Bread has pesto baked between its soft layers of dough, making every piece flavorful and perfect with soup or by itself when it is warm.
Get the recipe: Basil Pesto Star Bread

Easy Baked Pesto Mozzarella Chicken

This is a weeknight dinner that feels like magic because the pesto keeps the chicken juicy while the mozzarella cheese on top gets all bubbly and golden. The Easy Baked Pesto Mozzarella Chicken uses only one pan, so cleanup is easy, and it is a meal that even picky eaters usually enjoy and love.
Get the recipe: Easy Baked Pesto Mozzarella Chicken

Fresh Tomato, Arugula, and Feta Pizza

This pizza uses store-bought dough for an easy base, but it tastes much better than delivery because you spread pesto on it instead of a regular tomato sauce. The Fresh Tomato, Arugula, and Feta Pizza has toppings like peppery arugula and sweet tomatoes that make every bite interesting and fresh.
Get the recipe: Fresh Tomato, Arugula, and Feta Pizza

Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl

These bowls are packed with healthy ingredients like quinoa and vegetables, but they actually taste great because the quinoa soaks up all the herby pesto flavor. The Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl is easy to customize with your favorite veggies, and you can make a big batch for easy lunches all through the week.
Get the recipe: Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl

BLT Salad with Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing

This salad has all the classic flavors of a BLT sandwich but is served in a bowl with a creamy dressing that mixes pesto with ranch for a great taste. The BLT Salad with Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing is so good you will want to put the dressing on everything, and it is ready very fast.
Get the recipe: BLT Salad with Creamy Pesto Ranch Dressing

Pesto Cod Recipe (four ingredients)

Even if you are usually nervous about cooking fish, this recipe turns out perfectly every time because the pesto keeps the cod moist and adds a lot of flavor. The Pesto Cod only needs four ingredients and takes about ten minutes to bake, which makes it a great choice for a busy weeknight dinner.
Get the recipe: Pesto Cod Recipe (four ingredients)

Pesto Chicken Kabobs on the Grill with Mascarpone Dipping Sauce

These are perfect for cooking outside on the grill, and they come with a creamy mascarpone dipping sauce that cools down the garlicky pesto in a really nice way. The Pesto Chicken Kabobs are fun for kids to eat because they are on sticks, and they are great for parties with easy cleanup.
Get the recipe: Pesto Chicken Kabobs on the Grill with Mascarpone Dipping Sauce

Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta

Golden mushrooms are cooked and then mixed with a creamy pesto sauce to make a pasta dish that feels fancy but is actually very simple to put together. This Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta is a one-pot meal that is vegetarian and has a sauce that coats every noodle for maximum flavor.
Get the recipe: Creamy Mushroom Pesto Pasta

Tuna Pesto Pasta with Arugula Spinach Pesto

Using a pesto made from arugula and spinach gives this pasta a very fresh taste that is much better than a regular tuna casserole from a can. The Tuna Pesto Pasta can be ready in about twenty minutes, and even people who do not like healthy food will enjoy it.
Get the recipe: Tuna Pesto Pasta with Arugula Spinach Pesto

Orzo Pesto Salad with Feta and Tomatoes

This is a colorful salad that is perfect for bringing to a potluck, and the salty feta cheese and sweet cherry tomatoes balance the pesto flavor perfectly. The Orzo Pesto Salad with Feta and Tomatoes travels well and tastes great at room temperature, so you do not have to worry about keeping it cold.
Get the recipe: Orzo Pesto Salad with Feta and Tomatoes

Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells

These are like a lasagna but more fun to eat because the large pasta shells are stuffed with a creamy ricotta and chicken filling that has pesto mixed in. The Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells can be frozen for future easy meals or used to feed a big crowd with very little effort required.
Get the recipe: Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells

Mediterranean Orzo Pesto Salad

The flavors in this salad get even better the longer it sits, which makes it a perfect choice for a picnic or for making ahead of time. The Mediterranean Orzo Pesto Salad has big flavors from feta cheese, olives, and pesto, and you can add protein to make it a full meal.
Get the recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Pesto Salad

Turkey Pesto Sandwich

You can upgrade your regular lunch with this sandwich that uses pesto to add a lot of flavor without any extra work, making it much better than basic deli meat. The Turkey Pesto Sandwich is best when you toast the bread so it stays crispy, and it is a messy but delicious meal.
Get the recipe: Turkey Pesto Sandwich

Sun-Dried Tomato Puff Pastry Palmiers with Pesto

These look very fancy but take almost no effort to make because you use store-bought puff pastry that does all the hard work for you. The Sun-Dried Tomato Puff Pastry Palmiers have a great pesto and tomato flavor combo, and you should make a double batch because they disappear quickly.
Get the recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Puff Pastry Palmiers with Pesto

Tuna Pesto Pasta

This recipe turns simple canned tuna into a meal you will actually look forward to eating by mixing it with pesto and pasta for a fancy taste. The Tuna Pesto Pasta is one of those pantry meals that saves you when you think there is nothing to eat, and you can add any veggies you have.
Get the recipe: Tuna Pesto Pasta

Easy Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe (Simple Ingredients, Keto)

With just five simple ingredients, this chicken proves that healthy eating can still taste amazing, with cheese that gets golden and crispy on top. The Easy Baked Pesto Chicken keeps the meat very moist, and even if you are not on a diet, it is a great meal to make often.
Get the recipe: Easy Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe (Simple Ingredients, Keto)

Pesto Aioli

When you mix pesto with mayonnaise, you get this delicious sauce that makes everything better, from french fries to sandwiches and grilled meats. The Pesto Aioli keeps for a long time in the refrigerator, so you will always have a simple flavor booster ready for your meals.
Get the recipe: Pesto Aioli