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The closest all-purpose substitute for pesto is a fresh herb-and-greens paste made with olive oil, garlic and salt. Choose spinach for a milder flavor, cilantro for a pungent herbal one, or kale for a stronger, brinier result. For pasta, thin the paste with oil as needed; for sandwiches, keep it thick or make it creamy with mayonnaise or yogurt. There is no single exact swap: the best choice depends on the flavor and texture you want.
What can you use instead of pesto in pasta?
Use a herb paste made from the fresh herbs or leafy greens you have. Toss it with hot pasta, adding olive oil until it coats the noodles easily. A mixed-herb paste is the most flexible option; single-green versions change the flavor more noticeably.
Mixed-herb paste
Combine soft herbs such as parsley, oregano, mint, chives, thyme or rosemary with spinach or arugula for bulk, then add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Garden Herb Pesto and Pasta Toss describes processing the mixture to a smooth paste and adding 1–2 tablespoons more oil if it is dry or clumping. The page does not state a publication date, and its quantities are a recipe, not a universal pesto conversion ratio.
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Spinach is useful when you want a mild green base. Cilantro makes a more pungent, spicy-herbal sauce; the University of Washington Botanic Gardens calls it “One of the best Basil substitutes” in Making the Most of Greens: Pesto and Beyond. Kale gives a stronger, brinier green flavor. That 2015 UW recipe uses spinach without blanching; for kale, it recommends removing the tough ribs and blanching the leaves for 1–2 minutes.
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What can you use instead of pesto on a sandwich?
A thick herb paste works directly as a savory spread. To make it creamier and easier to spread, stir in a little mayonnaise; the UW Botanic Gardens also suggests mayonnaise or Greek yogurt for its green harissa variation. Keep the added oil modest so the filling does not make the bread greasy.
Green harissa is an option when you want chile heat rather than a close pesto flavor. The UW variation combines cilantro, mint, garlic, lemon, chile, olive oil, cumin and salt. Chimichurri can also serve as a condiment, but it is thinner and more pungent, with vinegar and parsley prominent; the UW article presents it mainly as a sauce or marinade for grilled foods.
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How do the alternatives compare?
| Alternative | Flavor direction | Best use and adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed-herb paste | Varies with the herbs; spinach or arugula adds green bulk. | Versatile for pasta or sandwiches. Loosen with oil for pasta; keep thick or blend with mayonnaise for bread. Rutgers Cooperative Extension lists the herbs and adjustment in its recipe. |
| Spinach paste | Mild green. | Use when you want a less assertive base; the UW 2015 recipe does not blanch spinach. |
| Cilantro paste | Pungent, spicy-herbal. | Use for a more distinctive pasta sauce or mix with mayonnaise for sandwiches. UW Botanic Gardens describes cilantro as a basil substitute. |
| Kale paste | Stronger and more briny than spinach. | Remove tough ribs and blanch for 1–2 minutes before blending, following UW’s 2015 recipe. |
| Green harissa | Chile-forward, aromatic. | Use for heat; UW suggests mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to turn it into a spread. |
| Chimichurri | Pungent and vinegar-forward. | Works as a sharper pasta condiment or sandwich sauce, but its thinner texture and flavor make it a departure from pesto. UW chiefly presents it for grilled foods. |
| Tapenade | Olive-forward, salty and briny. | A savory sandwich spread or an olive-heavy pasta variation, not a like-for-like pesto replacement. Add oil if needed and taste before adding salt. The comparison is described by Ingredient Substitutes, a secondary cooking-advice source. |
How to make a quick pesto-style herb paste
The following formula is one UW Botanic Gardens base recipe, published in 2015. It is not a fixed conversion for replacing pesto in every dish.
- 2 cups of a selected green or combination, such as spinach, cilantro, kale, carrot tops or turnip greens
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds, walnuts or sunflower seeds
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Blend or finely chop the ingredients into a paste, then adjust the consistency for its use. For a simpler variation, Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s recipe combines fresh herbs with a large handful of spinach or arugula, olive oil, salt and pepper; it suggests 3–4 tablespoons of oil initially and another 1–2 tablespoons if the mixture is dry or clumping. These are recipe-specific amounts, not a universal ratio.
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How to adjust the flavor, texture and salt
- For a milder result: choose spinach as the main green and use stronger herbs sparingly.
- For more herbal intensity: choose cilantro or combine several herbs.
- For smoother pasta coating: add oil gradually until the paste loosens enough to coat hot noodles.
- For a sandwich spread: keep the paste thick or mix it with mayonnaise or yogurt.
- For briny alternatives: taste before adding salt, especially with tapenade.
The University of Florida IFAS Extension’s Using and Preserving Herbs and the American Heart Association’s How to Use Fresh Herbs offer additional guidance on working with herbs, but neither establishes a mandatory ratio for substituting these options for pesto.
Can you make pesto without basil?
Yes. Basil is not required for a pesto-style paste: use parsley, spinach, cilantro, kale or a mix, with garlic, olive oil and salt. The result is a green sauce or spread with a different flavor, rather than an exact copy of basil pesto. Adjust the texture to suit the dish, and season gradually.
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Can you save extra herb paste?
Both extension recipes suggest freezing extra paste, but their stated periods are source-specific directions rather than a universal food-safety guarantee. Rutgers Cooperative Extension says its extra pesto can be frozen for up to 6 months; UW Botanic Gardens suggests freezing sauce in cubes for up to 9 months. Follow the storage directions for the particular recipe you make.
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