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Rice noodles tossed in Thai basil pesto sauce with fork.
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5 from 1 vote

Thai Basil Pesto

This Asian Thai Basil Pesto recipe is made with spinach, garlic, and ginger. It's combined with coconut milk to create a sauce for noodles!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: thai basil pesto sauce, thai pesto, thai basil pesto noodles
Servings: 5
Calories: 399kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients

For The Pesto:

For The Sauce:

Instructions

  • Prepare 1 8 oz. package of stir fry rice noodles (white or brown) according to package instructions. Cook the noodles just until al dente and then place them in a colander to drain. Run the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will prevent them from becoming mushy.

For The Pesto:

  • Place a small skillet (I love to use a small cast iron skillet) on the stove top and heat to medium-low.
  • Place ½ cup of unsalted dry roasted peanuts in the skillet. Toast the peanuts on medium-low for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the peanuts from burning. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Remove the skin from 4 cloves of garlic and cut into chunks.
  • Cut a 1-inch portion from a piece of ginger root. Remove the skin from the ginger root using a knife or a spoon. Cut the ginger root into chunks.
  • Cut 1 Thai chili in half and remove the seeds for less heat. Cut the chili into chunks. (Wear plastic gloves to prevent 'hot pepper hands') and be careful not to touch your eyes afterward.
    Alternately, you can leave the Thai chili out entirely if you do not care for spice.
  • Add 2 packed cups of fresh spinach, ¼ packed cup of fresh Thai basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, half of the ginger root chunks, half of the Thai chili, ¼ cup of toasted peanuts, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, the zest from half a lime (the lime may be zested using a Microplane or small zester), ¼ tsp. kosher salt, and ⅛ tsp. pepper to a food processor. Pulse until completely combined.
  • Repeat this process by adding the second half of each of these ingredients. Pulse until totally combined.
    If you have a large food processor, you can complete this step in one batch instead of two.

For The Sauce:

  • Place a skillet on the stove top and heat to medium.
  • Add the Thai basil pesto and allow to heat through, stirring as it heats.
  • Add ½ cup of vegetable broth (or chicken broth if not vegetarian), ½ cup full fat coconut milk, and the juice of the lime that was zested earlier (equals 2 Tbsp. lime juice). Stir the sauce until combined and allow to heat through.
  • Add the cooled, rinsed rice noodles to the skillet and toss in the sauce until completely coated.
    Feel free to add more broth if you'd like to thin out the sauce. Or, you can add a bit more coconut milk for a more decadent sauce.
  • To Serve: Place the pesto coated rice noodles in a bowl. Top with extra peanuts, minced Thai basil, and some extra lime zest (optional). See copy above for more serving ideas.

Notes

It's best to use a wide rice noodle and not a thin one like vermicelli, cook the noodles only until al dente, and rinse them under cold water in order to prevent them from getting mushy.
Feel free to leave out the Thai chili for less heat.
This pesto sauce may be drizzled over grilled or roasted tofu, seafood, or meats if you prefer.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cups | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg