Thai Basil Pesto

This quick and easy Thai basil pesto is made with fresh Thai basil leaves and all your favorite Thai seasonings. Peanuts, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and lime come together for a sweet and spicy, tangy twist on classic basil pesto.

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Is your garden blooming with Thai Basil?

This Thai basil pesto recipe is the main reason I grow this delightful herb in my garden!

Thai basil leaves are peppery and spicy and the perfect base for a classic pesto sauce with a Thai twist.

I love this easy pesto sauce on noodles and veggies but it is also great on chicken and fish! If you love Thai flavors and seasonings, this Thai pesto is a must-try!

Looking for more variations on pesto? Try this almond pesto, cashew pesto, and this nut-free pesto. If you love Thai flavors, then check out this Thai Inspired Salad, I'm certain you will love it too!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to Make Thai Basil Pesto
• How to Use Thai Basil Pesto
• Variations
• Storage
• Expert Tips and FAQS
• More Pesto Recipes
• Thai Basil Pesto

Ingredients

True Thai food fans likely have all the ingredients needed already! To make this Thai basil recipe, you need:

• Thai Basil: Use fresh and support local farmers if possible.
• Garlic Cloves: Fresh, peeled garlic cloves are best.
• Dry-Roasted Peanuts: Dry-roasted gives the best flavor and adds a smoky, rich flavor to the background of the sauce.
• Sesame and Olive Oil: I like to use half sesame oil and half olive oil for this recipe.
• Rice Vinegar: Cuts through the intensity of the sesame oil.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a smoky, spicy finish to the flavor.
• Honey: The perfect way to balance out the spice.
• Soy Sauce: For umami and a bit of salty seasoning.
• Lime: Adds a bit of zesty freshness

See the recipe card further down the page for the full list and exact quantities.

Substitutions

I have tested this recipe several times and the above combination and quantities are perfect! However, if you need to make a substitution, the following replacements will work just fine.

• Thai Basil: Thai basil is the best for a truly unique flavor, but in a pinch, you can use regular basil.
• Garlic: You can also use jarred garlic in place of fresh.
• Dry Roasted Peanuts: If you are peanut-free, you can use whatever nut you prefer or skip the nuts altogether. If you eliminate all the nuts, you will want to use about half of the recommended oil.
• Sesame Oil: You can use any oil you prefer instead of sesame but sesame oil does have a particular flavor that other oils don't.
• Rice Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar may be used instead of rice vinegar.
• Honey: Agave may be used in place of honey
• Soy Sauce: Coconut aminos can be used in place of soy sauce especially if you want a gluten-free version.
• Lime: If you don't have fresh lime juice, bottled lime juice may be used.

Equipment

To make this recipe, you will either need:

• Food Processor
• Blender

TOP TIP: Whichever appliance you use, make sure you have the option to pulse and grind. This will help prevent over-processing and give you more control in terms of the texture.

How to Make Thai Basil Pesto

Once you have all of your ingredients and equipment ready, it's time to make pesto with Thai basil!

Start by measuring out your ingredients. It's important to measure the Thai basil packed.

This means, press down a bit as you are measuring. This will ensure that the Thai basil leaves are the prominent flavor in the recipe.

Place all the ingredients in the bottom of your food processor or blender.

There is no need to chop the garlic or basil, the processor or blender will do that for you!

Once everything is in the appliance, put the lid on and use the pulse setting to begin making the pesto.

If using a food processor, alternate between the pulse and grind options until the desired texture is reached.

TOP TIP: You may add more olive oil or more Thai basil to adjust the texture to your liking. When making this as a dressing for salad or veggies, I like to thin mine out a bit. When using it to top chicken or fish, I make it thicker. Using olive oil and Thai basil to adjust the texture is very fool-proof. Just add a little bit at a time and it will turn out perfect!

Once the Thai pesto has reached ideal consistency, remove it from the food processor and serve.

How to Use Thai Basil Pesto

Now that you have some amazing pesto with fresh Thai basil, it's time to decide how to serve it!

• Pasta: This sauce is excellent over any kind of pasta, but especially Thai-style noodles. You can use it in this basil pesto pasta recipe for a change of flavors.
• Chicken: I love serving this as a sauce over grilled chicken breasts or as a way to change the flavors in this pesto chicken salad.
• Fish: Tastes excellent when served over grilled salmon or tilapia.
• Veggies: I love using this on steamed or roasted veggies. It's also quite tasty as a Thai basil pesto stir fry with your favorite protein and veggies.
• Dip: Use as a dip for veggies, bread, or crackers.

Variations

• Spicy: Add extra red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne for an extra spicy kick.
• Peanut-free: If you're wondering how to replace peanuts in Thai basil pesto, swap out with a one-quarter cup of pine nuts, or whatever nut you prefer
• Nut-free: This recipe also works without peanuts, although if making it without nuts you will want to reduce the amount of oil by almost half.

If you want to make a classic nut-free pesto, you can make our Fresh Coast Eats nut-free pesto using Thai Basil instead.

Storage

This recipe is best enjoyed fresh however, leftovers will last in the fridge for up to three days. Make sure you store it in an air-tight container in the fridge. Like other pestos, the color may darken especially the top where the air touches it but the Thai pesto is still OK to eat.

You can also freeze this recipe! At the end of the gardening season, I like to make a double batch of this recipe and freeze it in ice cube trays.

Once the pesto is frozen, pop the cubes out and store them in a freezer bag or an air-tight container.

When you are in the mood for some fresh Thai pesto, simply remove a cube, thaw it, and serve!

Expert Tips and FAQS

• Authentic flavor: If you want the best flavor, prepare the recipe as written using the ingredients in the recipe.
• Don't overprocess or blend. For the best texture alternate between the blend/process and grind settings.
• Adjust the texture: Make it just the way you like it by adding more olive oil to thin it out or more Thai basil for a thicker version.
• Pack the leaves. When measuring out the basil leaves you want to pack them into the cup to ensure you use enough basil for the correct flavor.

More Pesto Recipes

Did you try this recipe?  Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!