Fresh basil adds a sweet, peppery aroma to creamy fillings, pesto, roasted vegetables, chicken, and tomato-based sauces. Its leaves soften quickly and release their fragrance when stirred in at the end, while prolonged cooking turns the flavor muted and slightly bitter. The common mistake is chopping it too far ahead, which bruises the leaves and darkens them.

Guides

• Why Does Pesto Turn Brown

Recipes

• Baked Chicken Parmesan 45 min
• Oven-Roasted Ratatouille with Parmesan Polenta (45-Minute Vegetable Dinner) 45 min
• Baked Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Herbed Goat Cheese and Pesto (35-Minute) 35 min
• Pan-Fried Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta and Spring Herbs (30-Minute, Memorial Day Appetizer) 30 min
• Pasta alla Norma 50 min