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Pesto
with fresh basil is colorful and aromatic - a treat for the eyes and
nose as well as the taste buds! Here's four things you can do with fresh homemade pesto,
or, if you prefer, a store bought pesto (just read the label to make
sure it doesn't contain anchovies). If you're vegan, you'll need to make
your own homemade vegan pesto, as finding a vegan store-bought version is challenging, unless you live in San Francisco or New York!
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Pair it with quinoa or potatoes
 Quinoa goes great with pesto, as each individual little grain holds on to the flavor. Try this easy quinoa with spinach and pesto (pictured), and you'll know what I mean. Or, liven up an ordinary side dish like mashed potatoes, baked potatoes or even potato salad with a flavorful pesto. Even if you're using pre-made ingredients, you can add that homemade touch!
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Make a pesto pizza
 After pasta, a pesto pizza is probably the most popular way to use pesto. You can use this recipe for a vegetarian pesto pizza
(pictured) with feta cheese, or, you can get creative and add your
favorite toppings. Roasted garlic, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and black
olives all go well with pesto. You can also try this recipe for an Italian pesto pizza.
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Make a pesto-based dip
Vegetarian or vegan pesto can work as an appetizer or hors d'oeuvres
when paired with fresh veggies, sliced French bread, or even pita and
crackers. Or, try this recipe for a creamy pesto dip (pictured) with bell peppers and sour cream. You might also want to try this recipe for a pesto cheese dip - it's super easy with just three ingredients.
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Pesto pasta
 Ok, so this one is probably a no-brainer, but probably the most popular use for pesto is on cooked pasta. Try my easy vegan pesto recipe tossed with pasta, or try this fancier recipe for a California-style avocado and pesto pasta (pictured).
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