Sun Dried Tomato Pesto also called Pesto Rosso 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.
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until a slightly coarse paste is made. You can use a food processor too.
Transfer the pesto to a clean glass jar.
Refrigerate for 5-6 days.
Notes
You can use it as a pizza sauce, to make pasta, zucchini noodles, roasted veggies, dip with crackers, sandwich spread, toasts, eggs, minestrone, or butternut squash soup, gnocchi, chicken, or pasta salad.You can use either Dry or Oil Packed Tomatoes. If using dry tomatoes, you will need more oil while blending and if using the ones dipped in oil, you should use lesser oil.Find the dry sun-dried tomatoes in the produce section and the oil-packed ones in the aisle which have 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 it, reduce the amount of these two ingredients while blending the pesto.You can even use pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios instead of almonds for this Pesto recipe. A mix of nuts will also work great.Other than basil, you can use other greens like mint, parsley, spinach, arugula, cilantro, or kale.If you want to make a vegan version of this pesto, skip the parmesan cheese.It will still taste delicious. You can choose to use 2-3 tbsp of nutritional yeast if you prefer, although without it also the pesto tastes delicious.Skip the nuts to make a nut-free pesto. You will hardly feel any difference and the pesto still tastes very delicious.If you don’t have basil available, go ahead and make it without basil. You can add rocket leaves or celery or parsley instead if you like. Add some extra flavor by adding oil-cured olives, artichokes, roasted eggplant, avocado, or roasted red bell peppers too.You can even add some lemon juice, a splash of white wine, or balsamic vinegar for slight tanginess along with a refreshing flavor.When you keep it in the fridge for a few hours, the oil will solidify. Before using, thaw it on the counter for a few hours to let it come to room temperature.