23 Ways To Turn A Jar Of Pesto Into A Delicious Meal

Pesto is one of those ingredients that always feels like a smart buy until it ends up forgotten in the back of the fridge. The good news is it doesn’t take much to turn it into something useful. These recipes make pesto the main reason dinner gets on the table without dragging out the process. They cover everything from quick pastas to low-effort proteins that still feel put together. Each one puts that jar to work in a way that’s practical and worth repeating.

Creamy Pesto Spaghetti Squash Noodles

Spaghetti squash gets coated in a creamy pesto sauce for a lower effort version of pasta night. It’s great when you want something a bit lighter that still feels like a real meal.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pesto Spaghetti Squash Noodles

Pesto Pasta alla Trapanese

Trapanese pesto brings in tomatoes and nuts for a bright, chunky sauce that works perfectly with pasta. It’s fast to blend and keeps dinner from getting repetitive.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Pasta alla Trapanese

Pesto Salmon

Pesto goes straight on the fish and into the oven. This five-ingredient dinner is done in under 25 minutes and makes weeknight cooking feel more put together without much effort.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Salmon

Trenette Al Pesto

Pesto holds its own as the main event in this Ligurian-style pasta. Tossed with linguine, tender potatoes, and green beans, it’s a practical way to turn pantry basics into a well-rounded dinner. It cooks quickly and comes together in one pot, making it great for nights when you want something comforting without a long prep.
Get the Recipe: Trenette Al Pesto

Orzo Pesto Salad

This chilled orzo salad puts pesto to work in a fresh and practical way. It’s filled with crisp vegetables and easy to make ahead for lunches or summer dinners. The pesto ties everything together and adds just enough richness without needing anything fancy.
Get the Recipe: Orzo Pesto Salad

Baked Pesto Salmon

A jar of pesto cuts down on prep time while adding a punch of flavor to baked salmon. This meal comes together in about 20 minutes and needs just a baking dish and a spoon. The pesto crisps up a bit in the oven and coats the salmon with herby flavor that makes this feel like more than just a rushed weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe: Baked Pesto Salmon

Pesto Grilled Cheese

This grilled cheese proves pesto isn’t just for pasta. It gets layered with vegan cheese, sliced avocado, and crisp vegetables for a sandwich that feels a bit more put-together than the usual. It’s quick to cook in a skillet and works as a satisfying lunch or low-effort dinner.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Grilled Cheese

Pesto Mac and Cheese

Short pasta gets tossed in a creamy cheese sauce with a spoonful of pesto stirred in for extra flavor. It’s still mac and cheese, just a little more grown-up without being complicated. Great for kids and adults who want comfort food with a little more going on.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Mac and Cheese

Salmon Pesto Pasta

This one uses smoked salmon and short pasta to turn pesto into a full meal. The creamy sauce pulls it all together, and it cooks fast enough to handle weeknight timing without losing flavor.
Get the Recipe: Salmon Pesto Pasta

Tuna Pasta With Pesto

One pot and twenty minutes is all it takes to make this pesto and tuna pasta. The pantry-friendly ingredients keep it low effort, while the pesto makes it taste like you did more than just open a few cans.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Pasta With Pesto

Italian Cold Cut Stromboli

Pesto acts like a sauce and seasoning all in one for this stromboli. It’s stuffed with sliced meat and cheese, then wrapped in store-bought dough and baked until golden. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and works well as a weeknight dinner or party snack.
Get the Recipe: Italian Cold Cut Stromboli

Zucchini Noodles With Pesto

These noodles make pesto the star while keeping things light. It’s ready in just five minutes and works as a quick side dish or simple lunch when you don’t feel like cooking.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Noodles With Pesto

Chicken Fettuccine with Chard

This dish uses pesto as a base for a vibrant green sauce tossed with fresh vegetables and chicken. It comes together fast and makes use of whatever greens you have on hand.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Fettuccine with Chard

Kale Pesto Chicken Penne Pasta

Pesto gets a hearty boost from kale in this one-pan pasta meal. The chicken adds protein, the pasta makes it filling, and the pesto pulls everything together into a quick dinner that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
Get the Recipe: Kale Pesto Chicken Penne Pasta

Pesto Pasta Salad

This cold pasta salad uses pesto instead of mayo or vinaigrette to coat everything from tomatoes and mozzarella to sun-dried tomatoes and olives. It’s easy to make ahead and holds up well in the fridge, which makes it great for parties and leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Pasta Salad

Italian Meatball Soup

A spoonful of pesto stirred into the broth adds flavor fast without needing hours of simmering. It works well with the meatballs, vegetables, and pasta for a quick upgrade to a cozy soup.
Get the Recipe: Italian Meatball Soup

Caprese Pasta Salad

This chilled salad keeps it simple with tomatoes, mozzarella, and pesto. It comes together in less than 20 minutes and works as a light dinner or side that doesn’t need babysitting.
Get the Recipe: Caprese Pasta Salad

Pesto Chicken Pizza

Store-bought dough, pesto, cooked chicken, and cherry tomatoes make this pizza easy to pull off on a weeknight. It bakes fast and uses ingredients you probably already have around.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Chicken Pizza

Peach Basil Pesto Chicken

Pesto pairs surprisingly well with sweet peaches in this easy baked chicken recipe. It’s quick to prep, cooks in one dish, and works great for when you want something fresh but still filling.
Get the Recipe: Peach Basil Pesto Chicken

Chicken Pesto Linguine

This dinner is built around pantry pasta and pesto with juicy chicken cooked right in the same pan. It’s simple and reliable without being boring, and it’s easy to scale up for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Pesto Linguine

Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

Cheese-filled tortellini, cherry tomatoes, and pesto come together fast in this chilled pasta salad. It works great for cookouts or weekday lunches and doesn’t need to be reheated.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasted tomatoes give this soup a rich flavor, and the pesto croutons add a crunchy bite and fresh contrast. It’s great for cooler months and makes use of any extra pesto sitting in the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Toasted Almond Parsley Pesto Pasta with Chicken

This recipe swaps the usual basil for parsley and almonds, then tosses it with pasta and chicken for a quick, filling dinner. It’s a smart way to change up pesto while keeping prep simple.
Get the Recipe: Toasted Almond Parsley Pesto Pasta with Chicken