Fresh basil is one of our favorite parts of summer. Its mild and sweet flavor complements a wide range of foods, making it a versatile herb that adds bright flavor to many dishes.
While it can be found year-round, it is well-suited to summery dishes, and a great partner to summer fruits like peaches and watermelon. You can blend it into garlicky pesto, sprinkle it over grilled pizzas and toss whole leaves into fresh salads. It’s hard to find a summer dish that isn’t improved by a handful of this delicious-smelling herb.
While we typically use just a few varieties – the sweet Italian variety known as Sweet Genovese, a key ingredient for your favorite basil-based pesto; Thai basil, perfect for Asian cuisine; and Purple Opal basil, a fun addition to cocktails and salads – there are actually more than 60 types of basil to choose from.
It’s hard to find something that basil can’t hang with, so try experimenting this summer by adding it to recipes you might not typically think to use it in. To get you started, here are some ideas:
Breakfast: The kitchen will smell amazing when you cook up this Two-Tomato, Basil, Goat Cheese Frittata.
Lunch: This Green Bean Salad with Corn, Basil and Black Olives is perfect for a summer afternoon picnic.
Dinner: We can’t think of anything more fitting for a summertime dinner than this Lemon Basil Pasta.
Snack: These Basil Lemon Meringues are the perfect complement to any dinner!
