Basil
August 2026
Check out some creative dishes with basil below:
Basil Tea Tonic
Basil is a natural anti-inflammatory, making it the perfect tea to make when you’re not feeling the best. Just boil some leaves in hot water, steep for 5 minutes, mix with honey or another sweetener, and strain into a glass. The tea will help clear air passageways and generally help you feel better!
Basil Peach Ricotta Cake
Basil is just as wonderful in savory dishes as it is in sweet ones. In this case (made by Katherine from Barcelona), peaches mix with ricotta cheese and basil for a flavor that’s unique and delicious!
From Katherine - Barcelona
Basil Pull Apart Bread
My instagram feed was full of basil bread recipes, but the one that sold me was this pull-apart basil bread. Very simple to make, almost too delicious! (We ate the whole thing in one afternoon!) The house smelled like a pizzeria while it was baking, but basil is still the key ingredient here.
Basil Gin & Tonics
Turns out, basil is great in things other than healing teas! In this version of gin & tonic from Stephanie, the gin is infused with basil, turning an already awesome drink into something irresistible!
From Stephanie - Boca Raton
Fun Facts about Basil
How did Basil get its name?
The word ‘basil’ comes from the Greek ‘basileus’, which means ‘king’ or ‘royal’. This is why basil is sometimes referred to as the ‘king of herbs’.
Basil was used in embalming in Ancient Egypt
The pharaohs would’ve been buried in basil.
Basil is 5,000 years old!
Basil originally came from India, and is at least 5,000 years old. In India, basil is a sacred herb called ‘tulsi’. It’s crucial to Hindu spirituality and considered very powerful.
There are more than 100 varieties of basil and counting!
The two most well-known versions are probably Italian sweet basil and Thai basil. There are actually several other varieties however, each with unique properties that can radically change your dish!
