Two summers ago, my mom gave me a basil plant kit for my birthday. It was one of the smaller pots, only about 1½ inches high, with 5-8 seeds inside.
I had talked about wanting to grow my own herb garden since high school, complete with basil, rosemary (my two favorites!), and maybe a few like parsley and oregano. We already had a bay leaf tree in our backyard, so I wanted to round out the spaghetti ingredients in our garden!
But after planting a few seedlings, we immediately learned that the deer ate everything. (Well, except for the geraniums. Those things grew into massive bushes without any help!) So that herb garden dream was put on hold.
However, after killing quite a few potted flowers during college, I was afraid that I’d kill that little birthday basil starter kit within a week, so I put off planting it for a few days… Then a few weeks… Then a few months… And it’s still sitting on the shelf above my desk.
So my mom bought me a cactus for my next birthday.
(And yes, I killed that too. Turns out they do need water every once in a while.)
Because of my brown thumb, I tend to bake and cook more with dried herbs rather than fresh. But on the rare occasion that I splurge at the grocery store, I always end up using about a spring or two of the fresh when I buy a package, and the rest goes to waste. So when Gourmet Garden asked if I’d like to try out their new Lightly Dried Herbs, I jumped at the chance!
Their new line of Lightly Dried Herbs is somewhere between fresh and dried. (Although I suppose that was obvious…) They smell as fragrant as fresh, but when stored in the refrigerator, they last up to 4 weeks after opening the container. That’s perfect for people like me who only use a little at a time! So I opted to use their Lightly Dried Basil—my all-time favorite herb—to make these Tomato Basil Scones!
Like all of my scone recipes, these savory ones only contain 2 tablespoons of butter, compared to the 8-16 tablespoons in typical recipes. The rest of the soft texture comes from Greek yogurt and tomato paste. The former gives them a little protein boost, while the latter provides the pretty pale red color and a slight background taste. But the basil is the flavor that truly shines here!
Just before baking, brush the outsides with milk. This creates a lightly crisp outside crust, which contrasts beautifully against the supremely soft interior. With all of that yogurt, the soft insides practically taste as if you’re eating pillows!
I brought a few of these Tomato Basil Scones to my coffee date with one of my best friends from high school. (She actually works in a bakery as her full-time job!) After her first bite, she replied, “These would be perfect alongside eggs and bacon—or as the bread for a sandwich!”
I kind of finished off the rest already… So I guess it’s time to make more so I can try that!
These savory scones are lightly flavored with tomato paste and packed full of basil. They’re unbelievably soft and tender—and completely irresistible! If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or foil. If using foil, lightly coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
- To prepare the scones, whisk together the flour, basil, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Stir in the tomato paste, yogurt, and ¼ cup of milk.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Working with one at a time, roll into a ball, place on the prepared baking sheet, and flatten slightly. Brush the tops of the scones with the remaining 2 teaspoons of milk. Bake at 425°F for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, I used as follows: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (35g) brown rice flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
*Note: This post was sponsored by Gourmet Garden. All thoughts, text, recipe, and photographs are my own.
I’ve never been good at gardening either. I have a few house plants that I manage to keep alive but every time I plant a vegetable or herb, it dies. It’s a huger bummer since I would really love to have my own garden.
I’m loving these scones. Especially the tomato, basil combo!
I’m right there with you Jen! I’d love to have my own garden someday. I visited a friend last summer, and his mom grew everything under the sun. We made a pizza with all of the ingredients — so good!
If you live in the boonies, like myself, and do not have access to the Gourmet Garden products, how much dried basil would you recommend using in its place? These look delicious and I really want to try them!
Thanks Kim! You should be able to substitute the same amount of regular dried basil for the lightly dried, maybe just a hair less. I’m excited to hear what you think of them!
On the scone recipes, can you sub milk and yogurt for anything?
I can not eat dairy??
I’m sorry to hear that Pattie! I haven’t tried it myself, but you could probably substitute the non-dairy equivalents (like soy milk and soy yogurt, coconut milk and coconut yogurt, etc.). I’d love to hear what you think if you try the scones!
Lightly Dried?? That sounds awesome! I’m with you. Usually half the herbs I buy go to waste. Unless it’s Thanksgiving. Then we use them ALL 🙂
YES! And they’re mainly in California right now, especially Safeways. Let me know if you can’t find them, and I’ll make sure you do! 😉
Haha – the deer ate my herb garden too! (Well, that and I killed the rosemary bush. You know that evergreen that’s supposedly just as hard as a cactus to kill? Yeah, it’s dead). Anyway, These tomato basil scones with lightly dried herbs? I’ll take one for breakfast tomorrow. Placing my order now. You have my address, right?
Wait, rosemary is supposed to be hard to kill? Because I’ve totally done that too. Whoops! And umm, no I don’t have your address, but I’d still be happy to send you some! (P.S. When are you coming to visit next? Because I now have 16 brownies + 4 scones with your name on them!)
YOU ARE TOO SWEET! I’m going to raid your freezer brownies when I come visit next. Unfortunately it probably won’t be until after the holidays:( MAYBE we’ll come by for a quick coffee on our way to/from Chico for Christmas? I’ll let you know! (obviously:)
It’s a plan! The dissertation takes top priority over brownie visits anyway. Although… Maybe they can act as motivation to finish a chapter? 😉
Could I use fresh basil rather than the partially dried basil? If so, how much should I use?
Thanks!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Karen! I just checked Gourmet Garden’s website, and they say 1 tablespoon of their lightly dried basil is the equivalent of 2 tablespoons of fresh basil. You may need to tweak the amount to suit your tastes, but 2 tablespoons is the amount I’d suggest trying to start! 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these scones if you end up making them!