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Basil

Basil is an aromatic herb used fresh or dried in sauces, salads, soups, and other savory dishes.

Basil — illustrative ingredient image

About Basil

Basil is a fragrant culinary herb harvested mainly for its tender leaves and sometimes its young stems. Fresh basil has smooth or slightly textured green leaves, a soft leafy texture, and a sweet, peppery, clove-like, or anise-like aroma that varies by type. It is used in sauces, salads, soups, vegetable dishes, and other savoury foods.

Fresh leaves are commonly torn or chopped into prepared dishes, while dried basil is added during cooking or used in blended seasonings. The specific cultivar is not identified here, so flavour and leaf shape can vary.

Basil may be sold as whole fresh sprigs, loose leaves, dried flakes, or other dried forms. Fresh leaves are soft and leafy; drying makes them darker and lighter in texture, while dried basil can provide a more concentrated seasoning effect. The plant type and cultivar remain unspecified.

Ingredient type
whole food

Forms & related ingredients

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Where basil appears

37 linked foods

Find foods to recognise by country and type. Recipes and products vary; these are recorded ingredient connections.

Showing 25–36 of 37

Salads

Noodle dishes

Rice dishes

Sauces

Street food

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for basil

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Basil

English

basil leaf (dried)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

basil leaf (raw)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

basil leaf (whole or pieces)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

basil sprig

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basil, dried, ground

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basil, fresh

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basil, green, fresh, raw

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basil, Leaf, Blanched

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basil, raw

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

basilic en poudre

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basilic, frais

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Basilic, séché

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

dried basil

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

Fresh basil

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

fresh basil leaf

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Basil nutrition & diet

Basil nutritional value

Basil, fresh

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
23kcal
Protein
3.1g
Carbs
2.6g
Fat
0.6g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Distinguish fresh basil leaves from dried basil, stems, pesto, or seasoned products before comparing portions. Use the edible leaves as served, and account for oil, nuts, cheese, salt, and other ingredients in pesto or cooked dishes rather than attributing the whole preparation to basil.

Compare the right form: Match references to the identified basil species or culinary type and to fresh leaves, dried leaves, or a prepared product, with stems excluded when appropriate.

Diet considerations

Basil leaves are plant-derived. Compatibility changes when basil is supplied as pesto, seasoning, infused oil, or a prepared sauce containing dairy, nuts, animal products, cereal ingredients, or coatings. The herb’s own portion is usually recipe-dependent, while accompanying ingredients determine the dish’s carbohydrate pattern.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Basil, fresh ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .