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Simmerandsage » Recipes » Thai Basil Pesto Noodles

Thai Basil Pesto Noodles

September 15, 2021

By simmerandsagePublished: September 15th, 2021Updated: August 2nd, 2022
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What do you do with herbs coming out the wazoo? Make pesto. I do it all summer long with sweet basil. It grows, I make pesto. It grows more, I make more pesto. I’m usually able to stockpile enough pesto in the summer to last clear through to the next gardening season. Making pesto sauce with Thai basil felt like a natural thing to do, and damn are these Thai Basil Pesto Noodles good.

Thai Basil Pesto Noodles in a green bowl with chopsticks and chopped bell peppers

Possibly even better because, unlike sweet basil pesto, these noodles are dairy free, vegan and lower in fat.

What’s the difference between Thai basil and regular basil?

Thai basil has thinner, smaller leaves that sweet basil, which grow on purple stems. It is commonly used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking, and lends a very mild anise flavor to curries and stir fry sauces. It reminds me in some ways of tarragon, but with a slightly bolder flavor profile.

It smells heavenly, too. It’s milder in flavor than regular sweet basil, so you can use more of it. It also is more heat-friendly than regular basil, meaning you can cook it into a dish and it will hold up nicely.

How to Make Thai Basil Pesto Sauce

Just like with sweet basil pesto, it all comes together in a blender. Because Thai basil leaves are smaller than sweet basil leaves, you’ll need more of them to complete the recipe. Usually, one bunch of sweet basil (about 2 cups) from the supermarket is enough to make a batch of pesto. For these Thai Basil Pesto Noodles, I’d suggest grabbing two bunches of Thai basil to hit that 2 cup mark.

Unless you’ve got it growing in the garden, like I do, you’ll need to overshoot on the amount you buy at the store. Any left over leaves can be used to garnish your beautiful noodle bowls at the end.

Thai Basil Pesto Noodles wrapped around chopsticks and garnished with fresh Thai basil

We’re throwing all of the pesto sauce ingredients into a blender:

  • Thai basil leaves
  • garlic cloves
  • sesame oil
  • vegetable oil
  • dry roasted peanuts
  • salt & pepper

Process it until it’s smooth-ish. You will still see flecks of the leaves, and that’s a good thing. Then, we simply toss the sauce with our cooked noodles and vegetables.

A trio of bell peppers in all their glorious colors are great in this recipe. The sweetness of the peppers is a perfect compliment to the slightly peppery, anise-like flavor of the Thai basil.

Choosing the Right Noodles

I like using rice noodles in any Asian-inspired dish. Rice noodles are lighter in flavor and texture and they’re naturally gluten free.

If you don’t care about that kind of thing, try using lo mein noodles. They are wheat-based and heartier. I think of them as more of a “winter” noodle because they’re a bit more substantial than rice noodles. You can’t go wrong either way.

Rice noodles in Thai basil pesto sauce garnished with peanuts and bell peppers

How to serve Thai Basil Pesto Noodles

These Thai Basil Pesto Noodles are an easy and fast weeknight recipe that the whole family loves. Add some shrimp or salmon to the pan when you’re sauteing the peppers for extra protein, and save some to eat cold for lunch the next day.

It’s really good cold, as The Prince can attest when he’s eating out of the tupperware with the refrigerator door hanging open! Kids, am I right?

If you make these Thai Basil Pesto Noodles, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment or drop a rating below. Enjoy!

For more Thai-inspired recipes, try these:

  • Citrus Thai Basil Shrimp with Coconut Rice
  • Thai Basil Chicken & Coconut Rice
  • Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps

For more easy weeknight meals, try these:

  • Pesto Ricotta Pappardelle with Burst Tomatoes
  • Chicken Katsu Bowls
  • Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Crema
Thai Basil Pesto Noodles3 2 300x300

Thai Basil Pesto Noodles

An easy recipe for herby, garlicky pesto sauce tossed with sweet bell peppers and gluten-free rice noodles
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Thai basil leaves, rinsed and dried
  • 1 lb. rice noodles
  • 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup scallions, diced
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions
 

  • Cook and drain rice noodles according to package directions.
  • In a blender, combine Thai basil leaves, sesame oil, vegetable oil, garlic, peanuts, salt and pepper. Process until smooth.
  • In a large skillet, saute the bell peppers in 1 Tbsp. of vegetable oil over medium heat until soft, about 6-7 minutes.
  • Add the pesto sauce and noodles into the skillet and toss to combine.
  • Divide into four serving bowls and garnish with scallions.
Keyword gluten free, low fat, vegetarian
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Filed Under: Gluten Free Recipes, Low Fat Recipes, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Sauce Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

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Hi! I’m Jackie.

Jackie

Welcome to my little food utopia! Here you'll find simple recipes that are usually healthy, occasionally indulgent and always delicious. I'm a self-taught cook, recipe creator and food photographer. Sometimes you might see me talking about my favorite subject - food - on QVC. Thanks for trusting me with your dinner plans!

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