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Basil

 
Basil
fresh basil leaves
photo credit: sveres
Other Names:daun kemangi

What is Basil?

Basil is probably one of the most widely used herbs. From traditional Italian pesto sauce Thai dishes basil is found in many cuisines around the world. Basil can be purchased in most grocery stores. The common variety is green but there are many variations including purple (See Thai Basil) Use in sauces, and stir fries, salads, pestos.

About Substituting Dried Basil For Fresh

Dried basil lacks the flavor and character of fresh basil.  You are better off selecting another fresh herb or just leave the basil out, or select a different recipe.

Substitute for Basil

You can substitute Asian basil
OR fresh tarragon
OR Fresh summer savory

Equivalents

1/2 oz fresh basil = 1 cup chopped leaves
1 tbsp fresh = 1 tsp dried

metric conversions →

European Herbs
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Nutrition Information For Basil

Serving Size
1 tbsp, chopped
 
Calories
1
Calories from Fat
0
 
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g
0%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 0mg
0%
Potassium
8g
0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g
0%
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%
Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
0%
 
Vitamin A  0% • Vitamin C  0%
Calcium  0% • Iron  0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Favorite Basil Recipes

  • Angel Hair Pasta With Everything
    Angel hair pasta (or vermicelli) with every; maybe not everything but this recipe has a nice combination of vegetables including fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini with a added bit of ham.
  • Chayote Salad
    Chayote Salad recipe is made with diced fresh chayote, then combined with green onions, tomatoes, red bell peppers and basil. You can dress the salad with a simple vinaigrette or even mayonnaise. Chayote can be found in some well-stocked grocery stores or most Mexican markets.
  • Shrimp And Olive Pasta With Wisconsin Parmesan Cheese
    This simple dish features fresh asparagus, olives and shrimp in a white wine sauce, tossed with rotini pasta and grated Parmesan cheese.
  • John's Cactus Salsa
    This recipe for John's Cactus Salsa is made with fresh nopales, diced tomatoes, pickled jalapeno's, garlic, onion, 3 kinds of beans, cilantro and olive oil. This is a pretty salsa you can serve with tortilla chips or use it atop your tacos.
  • Fresh Corn and Chicken Salad
    This is an excellent corn salad recipe adapted from a Food Network episode. It uses fresh corn, basil, scallions, tomatoes and chicken.

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  • basil.jpg

    Basil

    Pronounced [BAY-zihl]. The botanical name for basil is Ocimum basilicum. This aromatic herb is native to India, SE Asia, and NE Africa and is an important herb used in Italian and Thai cooking (and less significantly in other cuisines). Basil is "the" key ingredient in pesto. More