Basil is the indispensable summer herb. Good tomato cooking depends on it. Pesto is built on it. It's also the easiest serious herb to grow — a single plant produces so much in a season that keeping up becomes the challenge. Knowing varieties, storage, and preservation makes summer basil last into winter.
Varieties worth knowing
The word "basil" covers a surprisingly wide range of plants. Grocery stores usually only stock Genovese; farm stands often have several.
Genovese (sweet basil) — The classic Italian-cooking basil. Large, flat, cupped green leaves; sweet, anise-forward aroma. The pesto basil. If a recipe just says "basil," this is what it means.
Thai basil — Pointed green leaves, often with purple stems and purple flower spikes. Stronger anise-licorice notes and a spicy undertone. Essential in Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian cooking — try in pho, pad krapow, and summer rolls. Holds up to cooking better than Genovese.
Lemon basil — Narrow leaves, pronounced lemon aroma on top of basil. Excellent with fish, in salads, in iced tea. Less common at farm stands but worth grabbing when you see it.
Purple basil (Dark Opal, Purple Ruffles) — Dramatic deep purple leaves, similar flavor to Genovese but slightly spicier. Beautiful in salads and as a garnish. Tints vinegar a striking pink when infused.
Holy basil (tulsi) — Used in Indian cooking and medicinally. Sharper, more peppery than sweet basil. Not commonly seen at US farm stands but showing up more.
Cinnamon basil — Subtle cinnamon note layered on standard basil. Lovely in fruit salads and infused in syrups.
Greek (bush) basil — Tiny leaves, tight round plant. Intense flavor in a compact form. Often sold as a potted plant.
When basil is in season
Early (May): Greenhouse-grown basil appears at markets. Quality varies — greenhouse basil can be watery. Outdoor plantings go in the ground.
Peak (June – September): Field-grown basil is everywhere. Farm stands pile it in bundles. This is the time for pesto-in-bulk, fresh tomato pasta, and putting up pesto for the winter.
Late (October): Last basil before frost kills the plants. Many gardeners make their final pesto batch this week. Indoor potted basil can extend the season indefinitely for home cooks.
Off-season (November – April): Grocery store hydroponic basil (often sold as live plants with roots) is the best option. Plastic-clamshell cut basil is usually a disappointment. A kitchen windowsill plant is cheapest and best — a single grocery-store basil plant, repotted into slightly bigger soil, keeps going for months.
How to pick basil at the market
Look for: Bright, fresh green (or vivid purple) leaves without black spots or wilting. Crisp, unwilted stems. A strong sweet aroma — if you can't smell it, skip it. Smaller, tender leaves on young plants are more flavorful than huge, leathery mature leaves.
Avoid: Yellowing or blackening leaves. Wilted or slimy stems. Flowers starting to form (basil loses flavor and turns bitter once it flowers — though you can eat the flowers, which taste like mild basil).
At a farm stand: Bundles are cheaper than clamshells and often fresher. If the farm sells basil on the stem, grab that — longer stems mean longer storage in water.
How to store fresh basil
On the counter, not in the fridge. Trim 1/2 inch off the stems. Place the bunch in a jar of cold water, like cut flowers. Cover loosely with a plastic bag (leaves should not touch the plastic). Change the water every 2 days. Keeps 5 to 7 days.
If you must refrigerate (e.g., small quantity of pre-picked leaves), wrap in slightly damp paper towel, put in a zip bag with air left in it, refrigerate. Use within 2 to 3 days. Cold damages basil even when stored this way.
See the fresh herb storage guide for how basil compares to other herbs (parsley, mint, cilantro).
Preserving basil: Freeze as pesto, freeze in olive oil cubes, or dry (though dried basil is dramatically worse than dried oregano or thyme — it loses much of its character). Peak-season basil is worth freezing by the jar.
How to use basil
Raw: Caprese salad. Torn over pasta. On pizza after baking (not before — it burns). In Southeast Asian summer rolls and soup garnishes. In fruit salads with stone fruit or berries.
Pesto: The classic use. Genovese basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, olive oil. Freezes well in ice cube trays for single-serving winter portions. See our basil pesto recipe.
In cooking: Added at the end, not the start. Heat degrades basil's volatile aromatic compounds within minutes. The exception is Thai basil, which holds up to longer cooking.
Infused: In olive oil (brief infusion, not long storage due to botulism risk). In vinegar (safe, stores longer). In simple syrup for cocktails and lemonade. In cream for panna cotta or ice cream.
With fruit: The surprising but excellent pairing. Basil with strawberries. Basil with peaches. Basil with watermelon.
On pizza and flatbreads: Post-oven, always. Fresh basil on a hot pizza wilts into perfection.
Flavor pairings
- Tomatoes — The canonical pairing. Season-defining.
- Mozzarella — Caprese. That's the whole idea.
- Garlic — Together with olive oil, the pesto foundation.
- Pine nuts, walnuts, almonds — Pesto variations.
- Parmesan, pecorino, ricotta — Italian pairings.
- Olive oil — The carrier for basil flavor in most applications.
- Lemon — Brightens, adds dimension. Lemon basil combines them innately.
- Strawberries — Strawberry-basil is a genuine discovery.
- Peaches — Peach-basil salads, cocktails, cobblers.
- Fresh cheese (burrata, ricotta, fresh mozzarella) — Cushions the herb.
- Stone fruit — Beyond peaches: plums, nectarines all pair.
- Cucumber — In sparkling water with basil and cucumber; in summer salads.
- Fish and seafood — Basil with grilled fish, in shrimp dishes, Thai basil in pad kee mao.