Looking for a flavourful twist on the traditional basil pesto? Try my Thai Basil Pesto recipe! Packed with fresh Thai basil leaves and baby spinach, this pesto has a lovely nuttiness from the use of roasted peanuts and a tangy kick from lime juice and fish sauce. Simply blend with garlic, chilli, parmesan cheese, and oil until smooth. It’s perfect tossed with pasta, drizzled over grilled chicken, or spread on sandwiches for a taste of Thailand in every bite!
With an abundance of Thai basil growing in my garden at the moment I wanted to make good use of it before the weather cools down and the basil turns dormant.
I love a good pesto and thought that this would be a great way to use a lot of it at once (mind you, I could make this recipe multiple times over and still have plenty). Pesto freezes well too, so I would also be able to enjoy one of my favourite herbs through the winter months by freezing into ice cubes trays and taking out as needed when I felt like some ‘summer’ vibes.
What is Thai basil?
Thai basil is a type of basil native to Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand. It’s widely used in Thai cuisine for its distinct flavour profile, which is slightly spicy, sweet, and aromatic with hints of anise and cloves.
Thai basil has small, narrow leaves with purple stems and a sometimes a purple tint to the underside of the leaves. It’s often used fresh in cooking and added towards the end of the process to preserve its flavour and aroma.
It is a key ingredient in dishes like Thai curries, stir-fries, soups, and salads, adding depth and complexity. Additionally, it’s used in beverages like Thai iced tea and cocktails for its unique fragrance and taste.
How to make the pesto
Making this pesto is a breeze with a food processor, but don’t worry if you don’t have one! You can also use a blender, Thermomix, or go old-school with a mortar and pestle. Simply combine all ingredients (except the oil) in your chosen appliance and pulse until roughly chopped. Then, with the motor running, gradually add the oil until fully incorporated. Continue blending until the pesto reaches your desired texture. Check the images below for reference.
Step-by-step
Serving suggestions
- Pasta Sauce: Toss cooked pasta with Thai Basil Pesto for a quick and flavoursome pasta dish.
- Marinade for Grilled Meats: Use as a marinade for grilled chicken, prawns, or tofu.
- Pizza Topping: Use as a spread on pizza bases for a unique alternative to tomato sauce or dollop over your pizza just before serving.
- Sandwich Spread: Use as a tasty spread on sandwiches, baguettes, paninis or wraps.
- Toast: Spread over toast and top with avocado, bacon, fried, poached or scrambled eggs, tomato etc or a mix of these things to up your breakfast game.
- Dipping Sauce: Mix a little of the pesto with some mayonnaise, Greek yogurt or sour cream to create a creamy dipping sauce for vegetables, crackers, breadsticks or other nibbles.
- Salad Dressing: Add a little extra lime juice and/or oil to create a vibrant and flavourful salad dressing.
❄️ Storage
FRIDGE:
Transfer pesto to an airtight container or glass jar and store in the fridge and use within 5-7 days. To stop it browning, pour over a thin layer of oil (use the same oil you used for the pesto), seal and store as soon as possible after making.
FREEZE:
Pesto freezes really well for later use. Transfer portions of pesto into ice cube trays, freeze until solid, then transfer the pesto cubes into a freezer-safe bag or container. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the bench top and use as desired.
Thai Basil Pesto
Equipment
- Food processor, blender or mortar & pestle
Ingredients
- 2 cups packed Thai basil leaves
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts (see notes)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 long green chilli, roughly chopped (optional or deseeded for less heat)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Salt & pepper, to taste (see notes)
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola, rice bran, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut etc)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (except oil) into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
- With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin steady stream until well combined. Transfer to an airtight container or glass jar and chill until required. Serve as desired.
THERMOMIX INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all ingredients (except oil) into the TM bowl. Mix for 15 seconds, Speed 7. Scrape down the sides.
- Add your oil of choice, cover, mix for 10 seconds, Speed 4.
- Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container or glass jar and chill until required.
Notes
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml and 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
- FISH SAUCE & SALT:
When using the fish sauce you may not need to add any salt. After it has been blended, have a taste test to see if it needs it or not. I only added a small pinch. If not using fish sauce though, you will need to add up to 1 teaspoon or so. - USING OTHER NUTS:
You can use any nut your prefer in the pesto. Cashews would work beautifully as would roasted almonds, walnuts or macadamia nuts. - TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE:
Omit the fish sauce OR make sure to use a gluten-free one. If omitting, add up to 1 teaspoon of salt instead. Also make sure the other ingredients you use are not processed on the same lines as any form of gluten (such as the peanuts) especially if making for coeliacs, so make sure to read the packet. - TO MAKE VEGETARIAN:
Omit the fish sauce and use up to 1 teaspoon of salt instead. - TO MAKE VEGAN:
Omit the fish sauce and parmesan cheese. Replace with salt and a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead or you can omit the parmesan all together. - USING REGULAR BASIL
Simply swap the Thai basil for regular Italian basil. Instead of peanuts though I would use something like toasted pine nuts, almonds or walnuts. Omit the fish sauce and brown sugar too and season well with salt and cracked black pepper.
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