Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe (Pesto Rosso)
This Homemade Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce (Pesto Rosso, Red Pesto) is a Sicilian variation of the traditional basil pesto. It comes together in just 5 minutes and uses a handful of ingredients.
Servings: 1 cup
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 fresh Italian basil leaves packed, rinsed
- 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
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 while blending.
- Transfer the pesto to a clean airtight glass jar. Refrigerate for 5-6 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
You can also replace the almonds with pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or pistachios, or a mix of nuts.
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 extra flavor with oil-cured black olives, artichokes, roasted eggplant, avocado, or roasted red bell peppers.
You can add a splash of lemon juice, white wine, or balsamic vinegar for a slight tang and 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
