Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks: Kirkland Basil Pesto

posted by Kalyn Denny on October 20, 2015

Nothing can beat my homemade Basil Pesto with Lemon, but when you don’t have any basil to make pesto this Kirkland Basil Pesto from Costco is pretty great! And this post has more than 25 recipes using Pesto; enjoy! 

PIN Kirkland Basil Pesto and 20+ Recipes Using Pesto to try some later!

If you’re a regular reader, you know I love to make basil pesto in the summer, and I think my recipe for Basil Pesto with Lemon can’t be beat. But sometimes fresh basil isn’t available or you just don’t want to bother making pesto from scratch, and I also make recipes with pesto in the dead of winter. For times when making pesto just isn’t happening, I’m a huge fan of this Kirkland Basil Pesto from Costco, and this is great product that I’ve been buying for years.

Unlike tiny jars of pesto that you see in the grocery store, Kirkland Basil Pesto comes in a big 22 ounce jar, enough for any recipe that uses basil pesto. And this pesto keeps a long, long time in the fridge and like my basil pesto with lemon, it can be frozen. And just in case you’re wondering, Costco has never given me any pesto or paid me to write about it here, but I’m excited to add it to my list of Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks!

If you’re also a pesto fan, keep reading to see some of my favorite pesto recipe ideas, plus recipes using pesto from other bloggers. (Most but now all the recipes are low in carbs; you have been warned!)

Can you Cook with Kirkland’s Basil Pesto?

I’ve heard from many readers through the years asking about a warning on the label of Kirkland’s Basil Pesto that says “Product should not be heated.” But I’ve cooked with this pesto for years and years with no problem. And since Pesto is actually a sauce to be used with pasta, I’m quite sure that warning means that when you’re using this pesto as a pasta sauce, you shouldn’t put the pesto into a pan and heat it (just add it to the hot pasta.) Please don’t worry about using this as an ingredient in a dish that will be heated!

Favorite Recipes Using Basil Pesto:

Easy Baked Pesto Chicken is one of the most popular recipes on the blog, and I know quite a few families who tell me this is also kid-friendly!

This amazing Foil-Baked Salmon with Basil Pesto and Tomatoes is something I make all year long.

Chicken Pesto Salad is also quick and delicious for a salad that can be made with leftover chicken and this is perfect to make with rotisserie chicken with it’s too hot to cook.

Low-Carb Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese is another combination with pesto and chicken that’s been hugely popular.

Roasted Summer Squash with Pesto and Parmesan is another favorite of mine.

Pesto Lemon Chicken Kabobs can be cooked on a stove-top grill pan when it’s not grilling weather and if you like pesto you’ll make this over and over.

I first made this Sauteed Zucchini with Pesto with a special spinach and basil pesto, but since then I’ve made it many times with basil pesto from a jar!

Instant Pot Sausage Soup with Pesto can be made with garbanzo beans, or use cauliflower rice instead of beans for a low-carb soup!

Salad Recipes with Pesto:

Chicken Pesto Zucchini Noodle Salad ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Antipasto Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette ~ Two Sleevers
Zucchini Noodle Mock Pasta Salad ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
BLTA Pesto Chicken Salad ~ Peace Love and Low-Carb
Pesto Pasta Salad ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Pesto Potato Salad ~ The Perfect Pantry

Pesto Recipes with Vegetables:

Barely Cooked Asaragus with Basil Pesto ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Pesto Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash ~ Cookin’ Canuck
Twice-Baked Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Parmesan ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Easy Four Cheese Pesto Zoodles ~ I Breathe I’m Hungry
Grilled Tofu Stacks with Pesto and Grilled Vegetables ~ Cookin’ Canuck
Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with Basil Pesto ~ The Italian Dish

Pesto Recipes with Chicken, Turkey, or Fish:

Grilled Fish Packets with Pesto and Tomatoes ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Grilled Pesto Shrimp Skewers ~ Skinnytaste
Baked White Fish with Pine Nut, Parmesan, and Basil Pesto Crust ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Turkey Pesto Meatball Sliders ~ The Perfect Pantry
Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken with Mushrooms ~ 365 Days of Slow Cooking
Tilapia with Pan Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto ~ $5 Dinners

About Products Featured for Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks:

I purchased the Kirkland Basil Pesto myself and Costco has no idea whatsoever that I’m writing about their product. I love to feature products that are really a wow for me, and all items featured as Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks are things I’d happily buy over and over. And so readers know that my opinions are completely unbiased, I don’t accept review products from the many companies who offer to send them to me. You can see the complete list of products I’ve chosen to feature at Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks.