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Although basil is most known for being one of the most extensively used and well-liked culinary herbs in the world, it has been revered throughout history for many other reasons besides flavour. From ancient Europe to India, Malaysia, and beyond, the basil plant, which was first domesticated over 5,000 years ago, has significant symbolic and religious significance. Today, it is well known for its adaptability and distinctive flavour, which provide a wide range of meals an herbaceous flavour.
Avoid throwing away any fresh basil! It's always a race against time to use up every leaf of fresh basil before it starts to go bad — not to mention a heartbreaker when it does — when the quantity of basil your recipe calls for is less than the large bunch you bought. In order to ensure that never happens to you again, we've selected some of our best recipes that use fresh basil. There are recipes here to use up as much or as little basil as you still have on hand, from easy pesto recipes that you can freeze and preserve for later to quick pastas and tasty sides.
Basil has a flavour that is both sweet and spicy, with traces of pepper, mint, and anise. Although this aromatic herb initially imparts a strong black pepper flavour, it ultimately gives any meal a tinge of sweetness.
Pesto
Here's a quick method for using up a lot of basil! You can freeze pesto in ice cube trays, but it freezes more well when you pour it into a resealable plastic bag and lay it flat to form a sheet. It's simple to cut off the amount you need, and it defrosts very quickly.
Tomato Basil Soup
This recipe is comfort food in a bowl, and it goes great with grilled cheese sandwiches or toasted crusty French bread. Only a few ingredients and some minutes are required to produce enough for four people.
Tomato, Basil, and Feta Salad
No need to cook! This dish is bursting with flavour and ideal for warm weather days when you don't feel like turning on the cooker. In around fifteen minutes, you can have enough for four people.
Stick Caprese
A terrific appetiser for any size gathering is this caprese salad made into finger foods. Just arrange fresh mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and basil leaves on toothpicks, drizzle with olive oil, and serve. And that's it!
Basil, Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich
This is another meal that is similar to caprese and will fill you up. Delicious sandwich that is quick, simple, and easy to make. The bread is simply toasted, the tomatoes are seasoned, and some fresh black pepper to be added.
Storage Tips
There are two ways to preserve basil for the long term if you don't intend to consume it within one to two weeks: freezing and drying.
Basil performs best when frozen as a paste because it is not as hardy as herbs like rosemary or mint. Basil that has been frozen can be added directly from the freezer to hot recipes or thawed and drained before adding to cold foods. Basil that has been frozen can be kept for three months.
Drying your own basil will be more cost-effective and provide fresher results than buying dried basil from the shop because you never know how long it has been sitting on the shelf. The ratio is roughly one teaspoon dry to one tablespoon fresh, as it is with all dried herbs.
