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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Sauces » Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso)

    Published: Nov 22, 2021 | Last Updated On: Nov 14, 2022 by Neha Mathur | This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso)

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    This Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso, Red Pesto) is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto. It has a deep, sweet, and tangy flavor and is very versatile. Made using a handful of ingredients, this pesto comes together in just 5 minutes (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).

    You can also try my Avocado Pesto, Basil Mint Pesto, and Walnut Basil Pesto if you are looking for more varieties of Pesto.

    Homemade sun dried tomato pesto sauce served in a bowl.
    Jump to:
    • About Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso)
    • Ingredients, Substitutes & Variations
    • How To Make Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage Suggestions
    • You Might Also Like
    • Recipe Card

    About Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso)

    Love tomatoes? Love basil? Then, you are in for a treat with this amazing Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso, Red Pesto) which is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto.

    Rich red in color, this tomato pesto is tangy, slightly sweet, savory, and loaded with umami flavor from the dried tomatoes. This condiment is addictive, flavorful, and super versatile.

    Pesto Rosso comes to my rescue on days when I come back home tired from work or it’s a school night and I have no time to put together a meal. I just toss my favorite pasta, roasted vegetables, or grilled chicken in this delicious sauce and a delicious meal is ready in no time.

    Although red pesto is available in the market easily these days, I prefer making it at home. Homemade pesto is free of any chemicals, colors, and preservatives. It is made using the best ingredients and is still much economical. Plus it takes just a few minutes to bring together, so there is no excuse to not make it at home.

    You can pre-make this delicious pesto over the weekend and keep using it for the whole week. You can also make a double batch and freeze some of it.

    This recipe is gluten-free and can be easily made vegan. You can also half, double, or triple it as per your requirement.

    Keep in consideration that the color of the pesto depends on the quality of the tomatoes used. It could range from a deep red hue to a greyish red color pesto. Nonetheless, the taste will be awesome.

    Ingredients, Substitutes & Variations

    Sun-dried tomato pesto ingredients 1
    sun-dried tomato pesto ingredients 2

    Sun Dried Tomatoes – Use dry sun-dried tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes packed in oil. If using the dry ones, you will have to use more oil while blending.

    Find the dry sundried tomatoes in the produce section and the oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes in the aisle of your grocery store which has canned vegetables.

    Also, try to pick the tomatoes which do not have anything else added. If using the ones with garlic and herbs added to them, reduce the amount of these two ingredients in the recipe.

    The color of the pesto will depend upon the type of sun-dried tomatoes you use.

    Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Oil adds great texture to the pesto along with a nice flavor. Make sure you use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.

    Parmesan Cheese – Replace parmesan cheese with Pecorino or Asiago if it’s not available. Replace it with nutritional yeast for a vegan pesto.

    Toasted Almonds – Toast the almonds before adding them to the pesto. While toasting, make sure you toast on low heat, otherwise, there are chances that the almonds will get burnt.

    You can also replace the almonds with cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or pistachios. A mix of nuts will also work great.

    Sunflower seeds are also a great substitute for nuts.

    Basil Leaves – While selecting basil leaves, look out for the fresh ones as they are very aromatic and add a delicious flavor.

    You can also replace fresh basil leaves with other herbs (greens) like mint, parsley, spinach, arugula, cilantro, or kale.

    Rosemary – Another herb that plays an important role in this pesto is rosemary. This is optional but adds a great taste. I used dried rosemary but you can use a fresh one too.

    Others – You will also need garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust the red pepper flakes as per your taste.

    Add some extra flavor by adding oil-cured black olives, artichokes, roasted eggplant, avocado, or roasted red peppers to the recipe.

    You can also add some lemon juice, lemon zest, a splash of white wine, or balsamic vinegar for slight tanginess along with a refreshing flavor.

    In some regions of Italy, fresh ripe cherry tomatoes are used to make pesto rosso (red pesto) instead of sun dried tomatoes. You can try that variation too.

    How To Make Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

    Preparation

    Peel garlic and shred the parmesan cheese.

    Toast the almonds. Add them to a pan and toast on low heat for 6-8 minutes until fragrant and lightly colored. Stir frequently while toasting. You can also toast them in an oven. Spread the almonds on a baking tray and toast for 6-8 minutes in a preheated oven to 350 degrees F.

    You can also coarsely chop the sun dried tomatoes and crush the toasted almonds for easy blending.

    Gather the remaining ingredients.

    Make The Pesto

    Add

    • 2 cups dry sun-dried tomatoes (or sun-dried tomatoes soaked in oil)
    • 3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
    • 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup toasted whole almonds
    • 1 cup (packed) basil leaves
    • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

    to a high-speed blender or a food processor and blend until a slightly coarse paste is made.

    Scrape the sides of the blender a few times.

    Note – If using sun dried tomatoes soaked in oil, use 1 cup of oil instead of 2 cups. Use the oil in which they were soaked to blend the pesto as the oil also has a lot of flavors.

    All the ingredients added to a blender.

    Transfer the pesto to a clean airtight glass jar. Refrigerate for 5-6 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Note – This recipe will make approximately 2 and ½ cups of pesto. You can easily half, double, or triple the recipe.

    Ready sun-dried tomato pesto.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How to make a vegan sundried tomato pesto recipe?

    If you want to make a vegan version of this pesto, skip adding the parmesan cheese or replace it with 2-3 tablespoon of nutritional yeast.

    Which tomatoes are best to make pesto Rosso?

    You can choose sundried plum tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, Roma tomatoes or whichever variety is easily available.

    How to make pesto Rosso without nuts?

    Skip the nuts to make a nut-free tomato pesto. You will hardly feel any difference and the pesto still tastes very delicious.

    How to make sun-dried tomato pesto without basil?

    You can make this pesto by skipping the basil or replacing it with other herbs like parsley, cilantro, or mint.

    How to toast almonds?

    Add the almonds to a pan in an even layer. Cook the almonds for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat and let the almonds cool before using them.

    To roast the almonds in an oven, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds out on a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake the almonds for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the almonds cool before using them.

    Serving Suggestions

    Tomato pesto is a very versatile sauce and tastes good with almost everything.

    I like to use it as a spread for pizza, flatbreads, crostini, bruschetta, or crusty Italian bread topped with some feta or goat cheese. It works as a great sandwich spread too.

    It makes for an awesome pasta sauce. Toss any cooked pasta like penne, spaghetti, fettuccine, zucchini noodles, etc with this pesto and make tomato pesto pasta. If the sauce is too thick, thin it down with some cooking water. If you want to make a creamy sauce, add some heavy cream to it.

    Serve it as a dip with crackers or pita chips.

    Mix a little in hummus or baba ganoush for a tomatoey kick.

    Roasted cauliflower topped with pesto Rosso tastes amazing. You can also drizzle it over roasted veggies, gnocchi, boiled eggs, or soups.

    Slather it while making grilled cheese, panini or sandwiches.

    Serve it on the side with roasted chicken breasts or seafood.

    Top the red pesto sauce over fried or boiled eggs for a healthy breakfast.

    Storage Suggestions

    Transfer the leftover pesto to a non-reactive airtight container and keep it refrigerated for up to 5-6 days.

    You can even freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. I like to store it in ice cube trays. By doing so, I can just thaw one or two cubes as per my requirement instead of thawing the entire batch.

    When you keep it in the fridge for a few hours, the oil will solidify. Thaw it on the counter for a few hours to let it come to room temperature before using.

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    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    This Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso, Red Pesto) is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto. It has a deep, sweet, and tangy flavor and is very versatile. Made using a handful of ingredients, this pesto comes together in just 5 minutes (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).

    Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce Recipe (Pesto Rossa, Red Pesto)

    This Homemade Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso, Red Pesto) is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto. It has a deep, sweet, and tangy flavor and is very versatile. Made using a handful of ingredients, this pesto comes together in just 5 minutes (gluten-free, can be easily made vegan).
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Basics
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 348kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • 2 cups sun dried tomatoes (dry or soaked in oil)
    • 3-4 cloves garlic (peeled)
    • 2 cups extra virgin olive oil (use only 1 cup of oil if using sun-dried tomatoes soaked in oil)
    • ¼ cup toasted whole almonds (crush them if your blender is not heavy-duty)
    • 1 cup basil leaves (packed)
    • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
    • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (skip or use nutritional cheese for vegan pesto)
    US Customary or Metric
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    Instructions

    • Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender or a food processor and blend until a slightly coarse paste is made.
    • Scrape the sides of the blender a few times.
    • Transfer the pesto to a clean airtight glass jar. Refrigerate for 5-6 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ptiWLumDBg

    Notes

    This recipe will make approximately 2 and ½ cups of pesto. You can easily half, double, or triple the recipe.
    You can also replace the almonds with pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or pistachios. A mix of nuts will also work great.
    Sunflower seeds are also a great substitute for nuts.
    You can also replace fresh basil with other herbs (greens) like mint, parsley, spinach, arugula, cilantro, or kale.
    Add some extra flavor by adding oil-cured black olives, artichokes, roasted eggplant, avocado, or roasted red bell peppers to the recipe.
    You can also add some lemon juice, a splash of white wine, or balsamic vinegar for slight tanginess along with a refreshing flavor.
    In some regions of Italy, fresh ripe cherry tomatoes are used to make pesto rosso (red pesto) instead of sun dried tomatoes. You can try that variation too.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 542mg | Potassium: 1998mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 1090IU | Vitamin C: 23.8mg | Calcium: 405mg | Iron: 6mg
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    Neha Mathur, Founder & Recipe Expert at Whisk Affair

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