What Goes With Basil? 29 Best Flavour Pairings

Basil goes best with tomato, mozzarella, olive oil, garlic and parmesan, the flavours of pesto and caprese. Its sweet, anise-and-clove aroma also lifts summer fruit like strawberries and peaches, so it is just as at home in desserts as in pasta.

Herbs

• Mint — two cool, sweet herbs from the same family that sit happily together in salads and Southeast Asian dishes.
• Parsley — grassy parsley softens basil's sweetness in salsa verde and herb sauces.
• Oregano — warm, peppery oregano in the sauce, fresh basil on top, is pure pizzeria.

Aromatics

• Garlic — garlic's pungent bite and basil's anise notes are the backbone of pesto.
• Chilli flake — a pinch of heat makes basil's sweetness pop in tomato pasta.

Acids & Citrus

• Lemon — bright acid sharpens basil's sweet aroma in pasta, dressings and sorbets.
• Lime — a natural partner when basil goes Thai, in curries, noodles and salads.

Sauces & Condiments

• Olive oil — fat carries basil's volatile oils across the palate, which is why pesto tastes so intense.
• Balsamic vinegar — its sweet, syrupy depth meets basil's clove notes in tomato salads.
• Coconut milk — creamy coconut curries love a handful of basil stirred in at the end.

Vegetables & Sides

• Tomato — basil's sweet, anise-like oils echo tomato's fruity notes and soften its acid; the ultimate match.
• Tomato paste — fresh basil lightens the deep, concentrated sweetness of slow tomato sauces.
• Zucchini — basil gives mild, watery zucchini a fragrant lift.
• Eggplant — torn basil brightens rich, silky eggplant in parmigiana and caponata.
• Corn — sweet summer corn and basil make a simple, sunny salad.
• Bell pepper — roasted peppers with basil and olive oil is a classic antipasto.

Fruit

• Strawberry — basil shares sweet, clove-like aroma compounds with strawberries and lifts their fruitiness.
• Peach — both contain eugenol, so ripe peaches and basil taste sweet, spicy and summery together.
• Watermelon — juicy, cold watermelon with basil and feta is a refreshing summer salad.

Dairy & Cheese

• Mozzarella — basil's peppery brightness lifts mozzarella's mild, milky creaminess.
• Parmesan — salty, nutty parmesan rounds out basil's sweetness in pesto and pasta.
• Ricotta — mild, creamy ricotta lets basil's fresh aroma take the lead.

Grains & Starches

• Pasta — a neutral base that lets basil and tomato shine.
• Bread — toasted bread with tomato and basil is bruschetta in its simplest form.

Proteins

• Chicken breast — basil's aromatic sweetness gives mild chicken some personality.
• Shrimp — sweet shrimp with garlic, lemon and basil make a fast summer pasta.
• Egg — basil folded into omelettes and frittatas adds instant freshness.

Nuts & Seeds

• Pine nut — creamy, resinous pine nuts give pesto its rich body.
• Walnut — a cheaper, earthier pesto nut with a pleasant hint of bitterness.

Classic combos

• Basil + tomato + mozzarella — insalata caprese, the red, white and green flag of Italian summer.
• Basil + garlic + pine nut + parmesan + olive oil — Genovese pesto, pounded or blended.
• Basil + tomato + garlic + pasta — the simplest, most perfect weeknight tomato sauce.
• Basil + strawberry + balsamic — a surprising, elegant dessert or salad.
• Basil + coconut milk + lime + chilli — the fragrant base of a Thai-style green curry.

Pairings to avoid

• Long simmering — cooking basil for a long time drives off its aroma and leaves it flat and grassy; add it at the end.
• Orange in the wrong dish — basil and orange can work in a salad, but the match is situational and easily muddled in cooked dishes.
• Heavy warm spice blends — strong cinnamon, clove or garam masala can bury basil's delicate sweetness.

Chef Fizz's pairing tip

Tear your basil, don't hack at it, and add it just before serving. Each torn leaf releases a burst of linalool and eugenol right as the plate hits the table.