5 Great Recipes Featuring Tomato Basil Pesto

September 13, 2021

Late summer in Lancaster County means an abundance of fresh, ripe paste tomatoes.

Paste tomatoes, such as Amish paste, San Marzano, or Roma, are wonderful for canning sauces, crushed tomatoes, and (obviously) tomato paste. These firm, elliptical fruits are preferable for such uses over other tomato varieties like slicers because they have a smaller seed cavity and therefore less water content.

Admittedly, we have a thing for tomatoes. See: Garlic Red Sauce, Original Red Sauce, Summer Salsa, and even our Tomato Leaf Grapefruit Candle. We rely heavily on our two staples sauces throughout the year for quick, delicious, and nutrient rich meals...but we also REALLY love celebrating tomato season throughout cooler months with our Tomato Basil Pesto.

Gretchen, our owner & founder, has been making this special recipe for years. It's tried and true. It's a perfect balance between light and hearty. And it's packed full of ripe, locally grown paste tomatoes and fresh basil.

Ripe Roma Tomatoes in a Stainless Steel Stock Pot

Not really a traditional "pesto" at all, this sauce is a favorite of ours due to its versatility and fresh flavor. We've just listed this year's first batch of Tomato Basil Pesto online and wanted to share some of our favorite ways to use up this late summer star.

Read on for our three favorite recipes that use Tomato Basil Pesto!

Recipes with Tomato Basil Pesto

1. Spaghetti & Sauce. Keep it simple with pasta and sauce. This sauce pairs best with a long, skinny noodle such as spaghetti, linguini, or zucchini noodles. Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente. Gently warm sauce over low heat. Top noodles with sauce and fresh grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

2. Mozzarella & Tomato Basil Flatbread. We love this recipe for Lazy Pizza Dough + Margherita Pizza from Smitten Kitchen. You can skip the instructions for making sauce and simply substitute with Tomato Basil Pesto. Top with fresh or grated mozzarella, bake, and enjoy!

3. Eggplant Parmesan. It's a fortunate occurrence that tomato season and eggplant season overlap. The soft, creamy texture of cooked eggplant pairs beautifully with our herb-y, bright Tomato Basil Pesto. We love following this Italian Eggplant Parmesan recipe from Cookie + Kate, who puts an emphasis on making sure the eggplant doesn't absorb too much oil. Cut down on cook time and skip making your own sauce by substituting with 24 ounces of our Tomato Basil Pesto.

4. Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese. Try this 5-star recipe from Food & Wine for Creamy Tomato Soup. Follow their directions, but rather than adding 3 cans of crushed tomatoes, add roughly 1.5 jars of our Tomato Basil Pesto. This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled and frozen for later. Serve with grilled cheese or a toasted baguette.

5. Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce. Who can deny the deliciousness of creamy, poached eggs in tomato sauce? For a complete and impressive brunch, follow this recipe from AllRecipes. You'll need 2 jars of our Tomato Basil Pesto to make the full batch.

Ready to get cooking? You can shop our Tomato Basil Pesto exclusively online by clicking here.

Made a recipe with our Tomato Basil Pesto? Leave a comment below letting us know how it went or tag us in your photos on Instagram at @christina_maser_co.