Healthy Basil Recipes

Find healthy, delicious basil recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Lemon-Garlic Chicken Penne with Pesto and Spinach

Fresh pesto brilliantly compliments the lemon and garlic flavors of this juicy chicken dinner.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

Rating: Unrated
10
This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Caprese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Rating: Unrated
5
We've taken the key ingredients of the popular caprese salad--tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil--and piled them into portobello mushroom caps to make a delicious and satisfying vegetarian main dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Corn Bread-Topped Chicken Enchilada Casserole

For a twist on the classic chicken enchilada casserole, this slow cooker recipe is topped with homemade corn bread.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Rating: Unrated
29
This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients--boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto & Shrimp

Rating: Unrated
51
Cut some carbs and use spiralized zucchini in place of noodles in this zesty pesto pasta dish recipe. Top with Cajun-seasoned shrimp to complete this quick and easy dinner.
By Breana Killeen

Cauliflower Gnocchi Caprese

Rating: Unrated
1
This super-easy dish is perfect for summer. Store-bought frozen cauliflower gnocchi are crisped up in a pan, then tossed with mozzarella cheese, plenty of basil and balsamic vinegar for a hearty and healthy spin on the classic caprese salad.
By Carolyn Casner

One-Pot Tomato Basil Pasta

Rating: Unrated
4
This one-pot pasta with tangy tomato-basil sauce is a simple, fast and easy weeknight dinner. All of your ingredients go into one pot, and with a bit of stirring and about 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a healthy dinner the whole family will enjoy.
By Carolyn Casner

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Tomatoes, Beans & Almond Pesto

Rating: Unrated
9
Looking at a tangle of spaghetti squash tricks your brain into thinking you're about to eat a serving of eggy noodles, when in fact, you get a nice calorie and carb savings in this healthy recipe. Giving tomatoes a stint in a hot oven makes them candy-sweet.
By Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D.N.

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Chicken

Rating: Unrated
8
This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers.
By Carolyn Casner

Basil Vinaigrette

Rating: Unrated
4
Drizzle this basil salad dressing over sliced tomatoes or cooked green beans. Or toss it into a grain salad for a pop of fresh summertime flavor.
By Katie Webster

Vegetable-Filled Omelets

Rating: Unrated
1
Enjoy this vegetable omelet for breakfast or dinner. Pair it with potatoes or slice of toast for a complete meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Inspiration and Ideas

Zu-Canoes

Zu-Canoes

In this riff on caprese salad, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil get stuffed inside zucchini boats for a healthy summer side dish.
Strawberry & Brie Bites

Strawberry & Brie Bites

Strawberries, Brie cheese, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar come together in this addictive one-bite appetizer recipe.
Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto

24 Recipes to Use Up Basil from Your Garden

24 Recipes to Use Up Basil from Your Garden

Tofu Parmigiana

Tofu Parmigiana

Rating: Unrated
19
Avocado Pesto

Avocado Pesto

Rating: Unrated
10

Herb Vinaigrette

Rating: Unrated
1

This fresh herb vinaigrette dressing recipe is great tossed with mixed greens or as a dressing for cold pasta salads. To make a vegetarian version, swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.

All Healthy Basil Recipes

Asian Beef Noodle Bowls

Rating: Unrated
3
With a lime wedge served on the side, these Asian noodle bowls are packed with flavor.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Spaghetti Squash & Chicken with Avocado Pesto

Rating: Unrated
6
Give pesto pasta a healthy makeover with this easy recipe that combines low-carb spaghetti squash with high-protein chicken breast. Top this powerhouse combo with homemade basil pesto that gets a creamy upgrade from ripe avocados to complete a mouthwatering chicken dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

This easy soup recipe cooks up quickly thanks to the use of an electric pressure cooker or multicooker, like the Instant Pot. It packs in tons of filling veggies without packing on the calories. Plus, it happens to be entirely plant-based. If you aren't eating vegan, top it with a little Parmesan cheese or pesto to add even more flavor.
By Carolyn Casner

Fresh Strawberry Margarita

This fresh strawberry margarita is sweet, with a light herbal note from the basil. It's got the classic margarita taste—with the added benefit of fresh strawberries shining through, making it light and very refreshing.
By Liv Dansky

Caprese Toast

Tomato, basil and mozzarella, this Caprese toast has it all!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Zucchini Frittata

Rating: Unrated
2
A frittata, as a flat omelet is known in Italy, can be filled with a variety of vegetables and cheeses and makes a great impromptu brunch dish or supper. In this version, fresh mint and basil brighten the mild taste of zucchini. If you prefer, use feta or ricotta salata in place of the goat cheese.
By Marie Simmons

Prosciutto Pizza with Corn & Arugula

Rating: Unrated
1
Prosciutto and arugula elevate this simple grilled pizza. If you have time, let the dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to make rolling it out easier in this 20-minute healthy pizza recipe. Thawed frozen corn works in place of fresh, just pat it dry before sprinkling it on the pizza.
By Breana Killeen

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Almond Pesto & Butter Beans

Rating: Unrated
3
Need some new meatless dinner ideas? This vegan recipe for grilled cauliflower steaks with buttery (but butter-free!) butter beans and almond pesto comes together in just 25 minutes but is impressive enough to serve to guests. We're sorry to ask you to buy 2 heads of cauliflower to make this recipe when you only cut a couple of "steaks" from each, but it guarantees the best results. Just think of it this way: having leftovers gives you an excuse to try one of our many other healthy cauliflower recipes!
By Erin Alderson

Tomato & Kale Pesto Pasta

Rating: Unrated
1
This 25-minute pasta side dish goes well with chicken or fish and can be served either warm or at room temperature. Kale and basil create a fresh-tasting pesto that is packed with protein and taste, thanks to the addition of chickpeas. We like shaved Parmesan sprinkled on the top, but feel free to add toasted pine nuts or walnuts for some crunch.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Rating: Unrated
7
Seek out several varieties of heirloom tomatoes for this simple salad. Sweeter and juicier than conventional tomatoes, they add the perfect pop of color.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Simple Roasted Zucchini & Squash

Rating: Unrated
1
This simple roasted zucchini and squash recipe is perfect for when you have extra squash on hand. Serve this easy side dish alongside grilled or roasted chicken or steak.
By Karen Rankin

Baked Cavatelli Casserole

Rating: Unrated
1
This easy to make, comforting dish will keep you warm on a cold day.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Pesto Pasta Salad

Rating: Unrated
1
A creamy pesto sauce turns this simple pasta salad into a delightful dinner. Adding broccoli to the pasta cooking water just before the pasta is done is a convenient way to briefly cook it so that it turns a vivid shade of green and softens slightly.
By Carolyn Casner

Basil-Tomato Chicken Skillet

Rating: Unrated
1
Quick cooking chicken tenderloins and packaged spinach make this dinner recipe come together in just 25 minutes.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon-Basil Aioli

The simplest way to make artichokes: cook them whole and eat your way to the tender heart leaf-by-leaf. And they cook up in less than 10 minutes in the microwave!
By Carolyn Malcoun

Simple Vegan Pesto Zoodles

Zucchini noodles, or "zoodles," are a gluten-free, low-calorie substitute for traditional pasta in this easy and fresh vegan dinner. For best results, toss the zucchini pasta with the basil pesto sauce and serve right away.
By Hilary Meyer

Avocado Toast with Burrata

Burrata (cream-filled fresh mozzarella cheese) takes this avocado toast recipe to the next level for a decadent, yet weekday-friendly breakfast.
By Gaby Dalkin

Spiralized Zucchini & Summer Squash Casserole

Rating: Unrated
5
If you don't have a spiralizer to make this healthy zucchini noodle casserole (aka zoodles), use a vegetable peeler to make long thin strips of the squash and zucchini, stopping when you reach the seedy center. Just a few minutes under the broiler gives these ricotta-and-basil-filled nests a light golden top.
By Hilary Meyer

BLATs (Bacon-Lettuce-Avocado-Tomato Sandwiches)

Rating: Unrated
7
In this healthy BLT recipe, we use a creamy avocado spread flavored with garlic and basil, and add sprouts. Look for sprouted-wheat bread in the frozen section or with other specialty breads at your grocery store.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Pan-Seared Scallops with Tomato, Olives, and Fresh Basil

This Italian-inspired dish is full of flavor. Use whole grain or multigrain fettuccine to make it a healthier option.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

Rating: Unrated
3
This dish is an easy way to turn grilled vegetables into a satisfying meal, thanks to hearty whole-grain pasta and a quick homemade pesto.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Ricotta-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Arugula Salad

This easy vegetarian meal gets a double hit of umami from mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. Grill some crusty bread, then rub it with garlic and drizzle it with olive oil to serve alongside these stuffed portobello mushrooms.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Tart Cherry Superfood Shots

Give your mind and body a boost with this tart cherry superfood shot. Tart cherry juice is rich in heart-healthy polyphenols and anthocyanins, which can help fight free radicals and thwart inflammation. And some researchers have found that regularly consuming tart cherry juice may improve one's cognitive abilities. You can find 100% tart cherry juice in the juice aisle at most large grocery stores.
By Jamie Vespa MS RD

Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms & Basil

Rating: Unrated
12
EatingWell reader Sidra Goldman of Washington, D.C., contributed this fresh-tasting whole-wheat pasta recipe. Lemon zest accents the basil beautifully.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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