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7 Things to Do With Basil Beyond Pesto

8:02 am by Seeking Joyful Simplicity 18 Comments

 

Every year I tell myself – plant less basil. But then spring rolls around and I think I can’t possibly have too much fresh basil, can I? And so the seeds get planted and my excitement rises as I pinch my first fresh leaves. Oh, the aroma of fresh basil! The plants start slow, but by July I just can’t keep up. What to do with all the basil?!

Whether you buy basil at the grocery store, farmer’s market, grow it in pots or in a garden, fresh basil is a culinary delight and so very versatile. Not just for pesto and pasta, there are an amazing variety of basil recipes to explore. Let’s talk about how to use fresh basil.

 

Varieties

There are over 60 varieties of basil plants. The world of basils offers a great diversity of flavors, aromas, and uses. Here are just a few examples.

Sweet Basils:

  • Genovese – large leaf type, typical that most people use
  • Medinette – great for pots and slow to bolt
  • Pistou – small bush type with uniform leaves and a sweet flavor

Purple Basils:

  • Dark Opal Basil – excellent seasoning and makes a lovely pink vinegar
  • Rubin Basil – purple with good flavor
  • Purple Ruffles Basil – like its name, this purple basil has ruffled leaves

Flavored Basils:

  • Lime Basil – lime scented
  • Lemon Basil – lemon fragrance makes a lovely tea
  • Cinnamon Basil – hint of cinnamon and good insect deterrent
  • Thai Basil – slight anise flavor
  • Blue Spice Basil – has a vanilla overtone

Holy Basil – Ocimum sanctum is a sacred basil of India and is associated with the goddess Tulasi. The aroma and flavor of Holy Basil is complex and has elements of cinnamon and clove as well as an underlying sweet aroma/flavor. Medicinally, Holy Basil is an adaptogen and is healing for those suffering from chronic, debilitating stress. It makes a wonderfully soothing tea and is part of my nourishing herbal infusion.

Growing Basil

Not just for pesto and pasta, let’s talk about how to use fresh basil to make lime basil fizz, basil herb butter, basil vinegar, and more.

 

Basil is native to tropical and subtropical areas and loves sun and heat. While it requires a lot of water, it does best with well-drained soil. Basil is great started from seeds and cuttings. Frequent pruning will keep basil from flowering and losing its flavor. The more you harvest, the bushier you plant will become.

Tips on Growing and Harvesting:

  • Keep your basil productive and avoid flowering by taking frequent cuttings
  • When your plant is about 6 inches tall, cut off the top cluster of leaves
  • Pinch or take cuttings at a leaf node (joint in the stem)
  • New branches will grow from the node
  • Once the plant reaches 18 inches tall, cut the entire plant back by two-thirds

Preserving Basil

There are many ways to preserve your basil for year-round enjoyment.

Drying

  • Hang drying – bundle 3-5 cut stems with a rubber band and hang in a well-ventilated room, away from direct sunlight
  • Screen drying – leaves can be stripped from the stems and laid on a screen to dry
  • Drying takes about 5-10 days. Store the crisp leaves in an air-tight container. It’s best to store whole leaves to keep the flavor.
  • Shelf-life of dried leaves is about one year (loses flavor over time)

Freezing

Basil leaves will turn black when frozen, but do retain their flavor and aroma. This method is best for storing basil to be cooked in soups and sauces.

Basil can be frozen in olive oil to preserve its color, and one great idea is to freeze basil and olive oil in ice-cube trays for recipe-sized portions.

 

Not just for pesto and pasta, let’s talk about how to use fresh basil to make lime basil fizz, basil herb butter, basil vinegar, and more.

 

How to Use Fresh Basil – Seven Basil Recipes

Basil is commonly used in pesto, combined with tomatoes, and included in sauce and soup recipes. But what else can you do with the amazing basil? Here are seven unique ways to enjoy the flavor of fresh basil this summer:

  1. Basil Vinegar
  2. Basil Butter
  3. Basil Mayonnaise
  4. Creamy Basil Dressing
  5. Basil Syrup
  6. Basil Lime Fizz
  7. Basil and Herb Seasoned Salt

Basil Vinegar

Adding fresh basil to vinegar is a great way to enjoy your summer basil year-round. The basil vinegar is delicious added to salads, salad dressings, and marinades.

Fill a sterilized jar ¾ full with basil and cover with your choice of vinegar. Cap and let the flavor infuse for 3-4 weeks. Strain the vinegar and use as needed. The flavor will last for over a year. If you want an attractive pink vinegar, combine a white vinegar with the Opal Basil. Makes a nice gift!

Basil Butter

This is a great savory butter to use on breads, potatoes, fish, or pasta. The butter will last for weeks in the refrigerator, or months in the freezer.

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 cloves of minced garlic
½ cup of softened butter
ground pepper to taste
drizzle of olive oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients by hand or in food processor and store chilled until ready to use.

Basil Mayonnaise

Basil mayonnaise is great on sandwiches or anywhere you would flavor with mayonnaise. Simply combine ½ cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of fresh basil chopped fine, and 1 clove of minced garlic. Adding a pinch of cayenne pepper would make a nice spicy mayonnaise.

Creamy Basil Dressing

Not just for pesto and pasta, let’s talk about how to use fresh basil to make lime basil fizz, basil herb butter, basil vinegar, and more.

 

This dressing is delicious! Goes well on tomatoes, salads, and as a snack dip for vegetables and crackers. All the ingredients are combined in the food processor until smooth – quick and easy!

Makes 2 cups
½ cup firmly packed basil leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. chopped tarragon
2 tbsp. chopped chives
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. dry mustard
freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and keep chilled until ready to serve.

Basil Syrup

This syrup, especially if made with lemon basil, can be used to add a unique flavor to desserts and beverages. Although it seems like a lot of sugar, the syrup is only used in very small amounts to add flavoring to recipes and beverages, so the overall sugar consumed is actually very small. This is the first ingredient for the refreshing Basil Lime Fizz recipe. Store the syrup refrigerated for two weeks and in the freezer for months.

1 – 1 ½ cup basil leaves
½ cup white sugar
½ cup water
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Blanch the basil leaves by dipping them into a small pot of boiling water for 10 seconds, followed by dropping them into ice water. Drain and gently squeeze out the excess water from the leaves.

Puree the blanched basil in a blender with the sugar, water, and baking soda until you have a dark green liquid (about 30 seconds). Pour the syrup through a fine strainer.

Basil Lime Fizz

Not just for pesto and pasta, let’s talk about how to use fresh basil to make lime basil fizz, basil herb butter, basil vinegar, and more.

 

2 tablespoons of basil syrup (recipe above)
2 tablespoons of lime juice
Chilled sparkling water or club soda

Pour the 2 tablespoons of basil syrup and lime juice into a glass, and fill about 2/3 full with ice. Add sparkling water and stir.

Basil Salt

Not just for pesto and pasta, let’s talk about how to use fresh basil to make lime basil fizz, basil herb butter, basil vinegar, and more.

 

Making basil salt is both useful for adding flavor to recipes, and is an effective way to dry the leaves for later use.

In a wide-mouth glass jar, alternate layers of sea salt and whole basil leaves. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks. When ready to use, break up any lumps in the salt (from the absorbed moisture) and carefully remove the basil leaves.

Do you grow basil? 
What are your favorite ways of using fresh basil?

~ In Health,
Michelle

 

Carole at Garden Up Green has great information on growing Basil and Saving Seeds.

  • Grow Bountiful Basil
  • Basil Harvest – Dry and Collect Seeds

 

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Filed Under: Simple Food Tagged With: how to use fresh basil, lime basil fizz

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelli @ The Sustainable Couple says

    at 1:00 pm

    I can’t wait to try some of these!

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 2:41 pm

      I have to tell you, I was reluctant to try the Basil-lime fizz, but it is so good and very refreshing! Have fun, and thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  2. Gaye @CalmHealthySexy says

    at 11:26 am

    I have such an abundance of basil this year! I planted some, but a number of plants came up from seeds left in the garden from last summer’s plants. I am making pesto like crazy! These recipes look fantastic.

    Reply
  3. Marla says

    at 12:42 pm

    HI Michelle,
    I never knew there were so many types of basil. All the recipes sound great but the Basil-lime fizz sound so refreshing and cooling for the summertime heat.Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted!

    Reply
  4. Karen Grosz says

    at 11:52 am

    Love your ideas to use basil. I will be pinning and feature this post on this coming week’s link up. Thanks so much for sharing at Let’s Get Real Friday Link Up.

    Reply
  5. Claudia H. Blanton says

    at 2:13 pm

    I am going to try the Basil Syrup, never even thought about making anything remotely like that! I also did not know there were so many different types of basil! Awesome, thank you!

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 2:15 pm

      I’m glad you were inspired by this! I made a batch of syrup and keep some in the freezer to use later. I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  6. Marla says

    at 4:20 pm

    Hi Michelle,
    Just a note to let you know that I have chosen your post as one of my features for this weeks Real Food Fridays blog hop that goes live every Thursday @ 7pm EST. Thank you for sharing your valuable information with us on Real Food Fridays and helping us to make this world a little bit healthier!

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 6:11 pm

      Thank you Marla, see you soon!

      Reply
  7. Alicia Owen says

    at 4:32 pm

    Who knew you could make so many things with basil! I feel like this is one of those herbs that most people don’t really know what to do with besides use it in cooking. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 5:05 pm

      Yep, I never really knew all the things we could with basil. It’s a great herb to grow and use. Thanks for visiting.

      Reply
  8. Easy Peasy Life Matters says

    at 1:13 am

    This is so cool! I love all the different things you can do with basil. And these recipe sound delicious! 🙂

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 10:27 am

      Since I started growing my own basil, and having way more than I can use, I needed to figure out what to do with it all…it’s a very versatile herb! Who knew?

      Reply
  9. Deborah Smikle-Davis (@debsmikdav1) says

    at 3:32 pm

    Of all of your awesome basil recipes, I am crazy about your Basil Fizz! I am so delighted that you everything we need to know about basil with us at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party!Thank you so much for sharing your gems and for your support! Pinning and sharing this! All the best, Deborah

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 5:08 pm

      Thanks Deborah. I was skeptical about the basil fizz at first, but it really is good. As always, thanks for your kind words and your support.

      Reply
  10. Mandy says

    at 4:46 pm

    I decided this spring to use our front porch planters for herbs instead of ornamental annuals. Cuz, how much can grow in small boxes and assorted ceramic pots? More than I know what to do with, that’s how much. Thanks for ideas on how to use up too much basil. Any thoughts on what to do with too much mint?

    Reply
    • Seeking Joyful Simplicity says

      at 7:08 pm

      When we lived in a townhouse with a teeny tiny yard my neighbors thought I was very odd for ripping out the beautiful azaelas and hostas to plant herbs and vegetables. But it was definitely worth it!
      Mint is such a versatile herb! You probably already know it is good for indigestion, upset stomach, and relieving gas. I like to have some dried on hand for making a “tummy tea” (I combine chamomile, mint, and a few fennel seeds for a delicious and helpful tea. Makes a nice addition to other medicinal tea blends, adding flavor and sweetness. It’s cooling and great for iced mint tea. Also great as a culinary herb – mint chutney is a great addition to spicy dishes or as a side dish (popular in Indian cuisine) – here’s a recipe you could try: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/83221/mint-chutney/
      I have heard it is good for repelling ants and mice (and have a friend who grows it around her barn and chicken houses with apparent good success!) Merissa at Little House Living has an article on more uses for mint you might find useful: https://www.littlehouseliving.com/10-uses-for-mint.html

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Let's Get Real Friday Party #150 - says:
    at 5:02 pm

    […] week I just had to feature Seeking Joyful Simplicity blog post, Everything Basil and 7 Simple Recipes.  Basil may be everywhere in your herb garden or farmer’s market. […]

    Reply

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