🌿 Spices & Herbs

Best Basil Substitutes for Pesto: Complete Guide

Find the best substitutes for basil in pesto recipes. Learn proper ratios, techniques, and tips for perfect pesto with spinach, arugula, and more.

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Quick Answer

The best basil substitutes for pesto are Spinach, Arugula, Parsley, and Oregano. Use 1:1 ratio. For the best flavor, try spinach or arugula, depending on your taste preference.

Best Substitutes

Spinach

1:1

Spinach provides a similar fresh, slightly bitter flavor to basil. Perfect for pesto where you want a mild, green herb presence with a smooth texture.

Best for:

pestowhen you want mild flavorsmooth texturegreen herbsmild herbs

Spinach has a similar fresh quality to basil but with a milder taste. It works well in most pesto applications and provides a smooth texture.

Arugula

1:1

Arugula provides a similar peppery, slightly bitter flavor to basil. Good for pesto where you want a bold, peppery herb presence with a unique taste.

Best for:

pestowhen you want peppery flavorbold tastepeppery herbsunique flavor

Arugula has a similar peppery quality to basil but with a more pronounced bitterness. It works well in many pesto applications and provides a unique flavor.

Parsley

1:1

Parsley provides a similar fresh, slightly bitter flavor to basil. Good for pesto where you want a fresh herb presence with a mild taste.

Best for:

pestowhen you want fresh flavormild tastefresh herbsmild herbs

Parsley has a similar fresh quality to basil but with a more pronounced bitterness. It works well in many pesto applications and provides a fresh flavor.

Oregano

1:1

Oregano provides a similar earthy, slightly bitter flavor to basil. Good for pesto where you want a robust herb presence with a strong taste.

Best for:

pestowhen you want earthy flavorrobust tasteearthy herbsstrong herbs

Oregano has a similar earthy quality to basil but with a more pronounced bitterness. It works well in many pesto applications and provides a robust flavor.

Cilantro

1:1

Cilantro provides a similar fresh, slightly citrusy flavor to basil. Good for pesto where you want a bright herb presence with a unique taste.

Best for:

pestowhen you want citrusy flavorbright tastecitrusy herbsunique flavor

Cilantro has a similar fresh quality to basil but with a more pronounced citrusy flavor. It works well in many pesto applications and provides a bright flavor.

Cooking Tips

  • 💡For pesto, basil provides flavor and texture, so choose substitutes that offer similar properties
  • 💡When substituting in pesto, spinach or arugula work well as substitutes for basil
  • 💡For traditional pesto, spinach provides the most similar texture to basil
  • 💡In pesto, the substitute should be well-mixed to ensure smooth consistency
  • 💡For the best results, consider the flavor profile of your pesto when choosing a substitute

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Find the best substitutes for basil in pesto recipes. Learn proper ratios, techniques, and tips for perfect pesto with spinach, arugula, and more.