Use it up · Herbs and aromatics

Basil

Have extra basil? Here’s how to choose, store and prep basil, plus 8 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Look for perky, bright leaves with no dark spots.

Best season: Summer. Timing varies by region.

🧊 Storing it

Counter: Stems in a glass of water, out of the sun, for a day or two; cold darkens the leaves

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out.

🔪 Prepping it

Tear or slice just before using. Blend extra into pesto and freeze it.

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: culinary herbs. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with it →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Fresh basil. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	23 kcal	1%
Protein	3.1 g	6%
Total fat	0.6 g	1%
Saturated fat	0.0 g	0%
Total carbohydrate	2.6 g	1%
Dietary fiber	1.6 g	6%
Total sugars	0.3 g
Sodium	4.0 mg	0%
Calcium	177 mg	14%
Iron	3.2 mg	18%
Potassium	295 mg	6%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 172232 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

8 recipes, the ones that use the most basil first.

With a smaller amount

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

More herbs and aromatics

Onions Green onions Garlic Fresh ginger Shallots and leeks Cilantro Parsley Dill Rosemary and thyme Mint All ingredients →

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.