Pesto is most iconically used for tossing with pasta, and it's one of the most popular combinations ever. It’s hard to run out of ways to combine the two, really. Examples that quickly come to mind are chicken pesto pasta, creamy pesto baked gnocchi, and chicken skillet.

But if you're looking for something beyond the typical Italian noodles and flavor combos, then you might want to try adding it to ramen or Sichuan noodles.

But truly, pesto is not just for pasta. It makes for a mean burger, a summer-y Topper for flatbread, as well as an amazing dressing for chopped chicken sandwich.

It’s hard to find something that pesto isn’t good in. It’s a sauce that turns any dish into kitchen gold. For instance, it’s terrific over gnocchi. It’s scrumptious layered into grilled cheese sandwiches, or swirled into tomato soup.

Speaking of soup, pesto is wonderful mixed in to rice and bean soup. The pesto adds a flavorful boost to a classic soup combo (beans + rice) that makes it something special.

While store-bought pesto is really good, homemade is even better. It’s definitely worth the time and effort to make it from scratch. It’s easy to create (5 ingredients and 15 minutes!), and once you’ve mastered this classic recipe and ratios (below), you’ll really want to experiment and create your own unique dishes.

You’ll find that pesto recipes are very versatile. While I love a classic pesto, made with basil leaves, Parmesan, and pine nuts, it’s easy to swap in whichever kinds of herbs, cheese, and nuts you have on hand. The recipe I’m sharing here uses a combination of cilantro and basil with cotija cheese and almonds. The result is a punchier, brighter tasting pesto that tastes as delicious on pasta as it does in a quesadilla or on a burger. See what you think.