Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosso)
I can confidently say that I’m a pesto fanatic. I make different pestos several times a week, whether it’s for a quick pesto pasta, top my chicken with it, or slather it on a sandwich. And nothing, nothing ever compares to the homemade pesto, whether it’s the classic homemade basil pesto, pistachio arugula pesto, zucchini pesto or this pesto rosso.
What I Love About My Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Sun-dried tomatoes have always felt like concentrated Italian sunshine to me, and since I’ve been making my own basil pesto from scratch since college, so making my own bold, tomato-forward version just felt natural.
- Pesto Rosso is a Sicilian counterpart to the basil pesto that features sun-dried tomatoes as the main ingredient as well as olive oil, garlic, and some basil.
- I love that I can pull this together in five minutes with ingredients I almost always have in my pantry and fridge.
- I use pine nuts instead of the traditional almonds because I like how their soft, buttery texture blends smoother into the tomatoes.
- I keep a jar of this in my fridge most weeks because it turns plain pasta, pesto stuffed chicken, or a sandwich into something special without any extra effort.
- I love how forgiving this recipe is. I can swap the nuts or push the red pepper flakes up or down depending on what I’m serving it with.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Use tomatoes packed in oil, not the dry-packed kind. Dry ones need to be rehydrated before blending, and they change the texture of the finished pesto. I use the oil straight from the jar as part of the recipe, which adds flavor and cuts down on how much additional olive oil I need to pour in. Quality varies quite a bit between brands, so pick a good one if you can.
- Pine Nuts: I use pine nuts for their mild, smooth, and slightly oily texture, which blends easily into the tomatoes. If you want to go the traditional route, swap in almonds, though I find they overpower the tomato flavor. Cashews also work well if you want something a little creamier.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly shaved or grated parmesan rather than the pre-shredded kind in a bag. Or just chop some off the block. It blends into the pesto more smoothly and gives a much better flavor.
- Garlic: I always use fresh garlic cloves, not jarred minced garlic. The flavor comes out brighter and more true.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: oil can make or ruin a batch of pesto. Make sure to use neutral and smooth tasting olive oil or avocado oil works too. Taste first to make sure it’s not bitter.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: This adds a gentle warmth, not a spicy kick. Adjust it up, down, or leave it out completely depending on your preference.
How To Make Pesto Rosso (Sun Dried Tomato Pesto): Steps and Tips
- When you’re making something so simple, you truly don’t need 10 different steps or different orders to add your ingredients. It literally comes out the same in the end. So, combine… pulse.. and serve. It’s that easy!
- You can use a blender or a food processor. I recommend using a blender because this is not a big enough recipe for a food processor, amount-wise.
- PRO TIP: Pulse, don’t blend! The texture will come out different.
- Remember to stop and scrape the sides so that everything comes out smooth and evenly blended.
Uses For Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
There are so many possibilities! The most common way to use this pesto is to toss your freshly cooked pasta in it and garnish with some extra parmesan cheese and basil. Here are a few more tasty ways to enjoy it:
- You can also mix into simple white sauces like creamy white wine sauce, béchamel, or even Alfredo Sauce.
- Serve this pesto on a charcuterie board. It goes so well with flavorful hard cheeses, meats, nuts, and crackers.
- Spread some Pesto Rosso over shrimp, salmon, or chicken! I often serve this pesto over shrimp along side of Caesar salad and it’s fantastic!
- Another great, simple appetizer is crostini topped with sun-dried tomato pesto and sautéed shrimp.
- You can simply use it as a spread on sandwiches, wraps, paninis, and it’s great in a sun dried tomato pesto grilled cheese, even better than my basil pesto grilled cheeses.
- Add it to Hummus or White Bean Dip!
How and How Long To Store Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
- Store sun-dried tomato pesto in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator. Keep it refrigerated for up to 10 days and remember to always use a clean spoon to scoop some out when needed.
- Remember that tomatoes are a naturally acidic ingredient, so try to choose the jars carefully. I recommend using a glass jar with a lid that’s not made of metal. Metal tends to react when stored with foods that have acidic elements. These are the jars that I use at home: with coated lids and with hinged lids.
- If you need to store it for longer, freeze it in a freezer zip-top bag or a freezer container. Slow-thaw it in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to enjoy it.
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe FAQs
You can, but you’ll need to rehydrate them first. Soak the dry tomatoes in hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes until they’ve softened, drain well, then blend with olive oil to replace the oil that would normally come from the jar. The texture and flavor will be a little different, but it still works.
Pesto rosso, also known as pesto alla siciliana or pesto alla trapanese, swaps in sun-dried tomatoes as the star ingredient in place of the large amount of basil used in classic basil pesto (pesto alla genovese). Both use the same base of nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil, but pesto rosso only uses a small amount of basil to round out the flavor.
Use some of the oil. It’s part of the recipe and adds flavor while cutting down on how much additional olive oil you need to pour in. If your jar seems to have more oil than usual, you can strain off some of the extra before blending, but don’t skip it altogether.
Not as written, since it’s made with parmesan cheese. To make it vegan, leave out the parmesan or swap in a plant-based parmesan alternative or nutritional yeast for a similar savory flavor.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just double check the labels on your specific ingredients, since brands can vary.
If it’s too thick, add more olive oil a tablespoon at a time until it loosens up. If it tastes too tangy, that usually means too many sun-dried tomatoes relative to the other ingredients. Stick to the recipe’s measurements, and add a little extra parmesan or a pinch more salt to help balance it out.
More Recipes Featuring Sun Dried Tomatoes
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Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher coarse or sea salt more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes more or less to toaste
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor. (Including the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes.)
- Pulse several times to begin to blend. Scrape sides of the blender and pulse a few more times. You may need to scrape the sides again and pulse a few more times until all ingredients are well blended.
Video
Notes
- Nut Options: Traditionally, pesto rosso uses almonds rather than pine nuts. I find almonds to be too overpowering, so I use pine nuts is because of their mild, smooth, and oily texture that incorporates so perfectly with the other ingredients. You can also use cashews, they have a smooth and mild flavor as well but can be creamy in a texture.
- Storing: Store Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator. Keep it refrigerated for up to 10 days and remember to always use a clean spoon to scoop some out when needed.
- Freezing: you can easily freeze this pesto in small portion or in one batch:
Small portions: use ice cube trays and divide finished pesto rosso among the cups. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top of each cup. Freeze for 2-3 hours until it’s completely frozen (set a timer) and then transfer the pesto cubes into a freezer zip-lock bag. Label and place back in the freezer. Freeze for up to 2–3 months. (I find that smaller portions get frost-bite sooner. People also tend to open and close the bag more, which contributes to the shorter shelf life.)
Larger portions: transfer either 1/2 cup or 1 cup portions of pesto into freezer zip-lock bags. Get all the air out and seal each bag. Label and freeze for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in September 2022.
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30 Minute Meals, Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy Dinner Ideas, Italian Dinner Recipes, Toppings and Spreads,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
I love this one SO much more than basil pesto!
Honestly, me too!!
I love healthy recipes and this is one of my fev.
Yes, me too! The flavor is just so rich and bright!