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Basil

Fresh herbs · Fresh herbs

Basil

Tender, sweet herb: Italian sweet basil for pesto and tomatoes, Thai and holy basil for stir-fries.

Also called: sweet basil, thai basil, holy basil, fesleğen, albahaca, bai horapa

A kind of fresh herbs

55 recipes with it

Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Basil has soft, glossy leaves with a sweet, clove-and-anise scent. Sweet (Genovese) basil has large rounded leaves and is the Mediterranean type; Thai basil has smaller leaves, purple stems and a stronger anise flavour; holy basil (tulsi, kaprao) is peppery and clove-like. They are related but not interchangeable in every dish.

Ocimum basilicum

How it’s used

  • Pesto and Caprese salad
  • Tomato sauces and pizza
  • Thai stir-fries such as pad kaprao
  • Thai and Vietnamese curries and pho
  • Infused oils and drinks

Characteristics

Taste
Sweet, peppery, anise-like.
When cooked
Bruises and blackens easily; tear rather than chop and add at the end.
Sold as
fresh, dried
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Used as a garnish, Mainly a seasoning

Varieties

  • Sweet / Genovese
  • Thai basil
  • Holy basil (tulsi, kaprao)
  • Lemon basil
  • Purple basil

Storage

At room temperature. Basil dislikes cold: stand stems in water at room temperature out of direct sun; refrigeration blackens the leaves.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
23 kcal
Protein
3.15 g
Carbohydrate
2.65 g
Fat
0.64 g
Fibre
1.6 g
Sugars
0.3 g

USDA FoodData Central: Basil, fresh.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Dried basil — Only in long-cooked sauces, about a third of the amount; never for pesto or garnish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with basil

See all 55

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