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    Home ➞ All Recipes ➞ Dressings, Dips, & Sauces

    Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

    Published: September 26, 2019 // Updated: September 1, 2020 // by Shannon Emery

    Jump To RecipePrint RecipeThis post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    A close-up of a beautiful jar of bright-red sun-dried tomato pesto.
    A food processor containing fresh sun-dried tomato pesto sits on a marble countertop.
    A silver spoon is dunked into a jar of sun-dried tomato pesto.
    A jar of sun-dried tomato pesto sit on a marble countertop with a spoonful of pesto next to it.
    Looking down on a jar of tasty homemade sun-dried tomato pesto.

    This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto is a simple and tasty deviation from the more familiar basil pesto. Perfect for pasta, pizza, bruschetta, and a number of other dishes. The options are limitless! Only 5 minutes to make!

    A silver spoon is dunked into a jar of sun-dried tomato pesto.

    Pesto is the besto.

    Especially the homemade kind.

    You could buy a jar of pre-made sun-dried tomato pesto at the store but it's not going to make you weep tears of joy and prompt you to prance around your kitchen on your tippy-toes as the homemade stuff will.

    Homemade pesto is more lively, more vibrant, more flavorful, more Mmmmm...

    A close-up of a beautiful jar of bright-red sun-dried tomato pesto.

    So let's make it. Love it. And eat it on ALL the things.

    Specifically these things:

    • sun-dried tomato pesto grilled cheese sandwich with melty white cheese like gruyere or fontina = lunch goals
    • stirred into creamy polenta
    • sun-dried tomato pesto pizza!
    • a topping for bruschetta
    • stuffed into chicken with some spinach and mozz, oh yeah
    • in a frittata (or really any type of breakfast egg dish)
    • allllll the pasta...obviously
    • zoodles, dress up that veggie pasta yo!
    Ingredients to make homemade sun-dried tomato pesto are laid out on a marble counter and wood board.
    • A white bowl of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil. Fresh basil leaves and and small bowl of capers sit nearby.
    • The ingredients for homemade sun-dried tomato pesto are placed into a food processor.

    How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

    All that is needed is a food processor and 7 ingredients.

    The 7 Ingredients (in no particular order):

    1. Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil with herbs: The star of the show. Intense. Sweet. And tart.
    2. Garlic: A must-have, always.
    3. Fresh basil: Cuz we're hanging on to fond memories of summer.
    4. Capers: Little flavor bombs of briny sweetness.
    5. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese: Not the canned stuff (is that even real cheese? nooope). Use real Parm and your pesto will sing an alleluia chorus.
    6. Crushed red pepper flakes: Adds a hint of pizzazz.
    7. Macadamia nuts: Macadamia nuts offer a richer, more buttery flavor in comparison to the traditional pine nut typically used in sun-dried tomato pesto. I prefer using macadamia in this recipe but you do you.

    Place the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse. Pulse. Pulse. And done.

    And I'm never going to say pulse again. It's giving me the heebs. Puuulse...just no.

    A food processor containing fresh sun-dried tomato pesto sits on a marble countertop.

    And that's it.

    There is magic in the simplicity of a beautiful, vibrant red, sun-dried tomato pesto forever living in your fridge ready to lend itself to a dreamy appetizer or meal at a moment's notice. We could all use a little magic.

    Looking down on a jar of tasty homemade sun-dried tomato pesto.

    Now what are YOU going to make with your jar of red pesto magic?! Share with me in the comments below, or on Instagram, or Facebook, or email, or in person, or through telepathy. I love hearing from you guys.

    Just don't say pulse.

    A jar of sun-dried tomato pesto sit on a marble countertop with a spoonful of pesto next to it.

    Get a mouthful of THAT.

    Recipe FAQs

    How long does sun-dried tomato pesto last?

    This pesto will generally last for up to 1 week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or it can also be stored in the freezer for 3-4 months.

    Does sun-dried tomato pesto usually contain nuts?

    Many pesto recipes traditionally use pine nuts, which is not considered a nut but is a seed instead. However, it's not uncommon to replace pine nuts in a pesto recipe with nuts such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, or macadamia (such as in this recipe).

    Can pesto be canned?

    There are no home canning recommendations for pesto. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, the herbs and oil in pesto are considered low acidity and could support the growth of nasty bacteria. Canning this sun-dried tomato pesto is therefore not advised. You can find more info here on the NCHFP website. You could freeze it though!

    More recipes using pesto!

    • Pesto Genovese classic, Italian basil pesto
    • Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Basil Soup perfect side with sandwiches, salads, and more!
    • Baked Frittata with sausage, kale, and sun-dried tomato pesto
    • Creamy Pesto Pasta with Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomatoes a quick and easy 30-minute meal!

    Did You Make This Recipe?!

    If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a star rating below! I greatly appreciate your feedback and it is also so helpful for other PMST readers who are thinking about making the recipe. Remember to snap a photo and tag @passmesometasty on Instagram so I can see!

    Print
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    A close-up of a beautiful jar of bright-red sun-dried tomato pesto.

    Pesto Rosso


    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Shannon Emery
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: about 1.5 cups 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Pesto rosso is simple and tasty deviation from the more familiar basil pesto. Perfect for pasta, pizza, bruschetta, and a number of other dishes. The options are limitless! 


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 (8.5 oz) jar sun-dried tomato halves packed in olive oil with herbs(don't drain off that oil!*)
    • 2 medium-sized cloves garlic
    • 1 cup packed fresh basil
    • ⅓ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
    • ¼ cup unsalted macadamia nuts 
    • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • pinch of salt (or to your preference)

    Instructions

    1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until desired consistency is reached.
    2. That's it! (So easy, right?!)

    Equipment

    Image of Food Processor

    Food Processor

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    The sun-dried tomatoes I have provided a link for is for a 32 oz. jar rather than the 8.5 oz jar I list in the ingredients. I wanted to be able to provide you with a link to the product I used so you could see it if you are unsure of what to buy. The 32 oz. size jar was the only size available on Amazon at the time of writing this post. Quadruple batch anyone?!

    If your pesto is not at the consistency you are needing it to be for your particular use, even after including the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, just add a little more extra virgin olive oil until you get it just how you like it.

    • Category: Sauce
    • Method: Food Processor
    • Cuisine: Italian
    • Diet: Gluten Free

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
    • Calories: 121
    • Sugar: 4.2 g
    • Sodium: 193.7 mg
    • Fat: 9.3 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 6.8 g
    • Fiber: 0.3 g
    • Protein: 3.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 1.7 mg

    Keywords: pesto, sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, gluten-free recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @passmesometasty on Instagram. I'd love to see what you made!

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

    Disclaimer: All brand recommendations are purely my own opinion. I am in no way sponsored by or compensated by any brands mentioned in this post for my recommendations. This post may also contain affiliate links which I may receive a small commission from (without any additional costs to you). The money earned from these commissions helps me to maintain this website. Thank you for your support!

    « Potato Salad with Caramelized​ Onions & Fresh Herbs
    Baked Frittata with Sausage, Kale, and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Sandra Feldman

      September 01, 2020 at 6:37 pm

      I was wondering if I could Can (water bath) the Pesto. Using glass's jar'a and putting it in a Canner to make sure it will last on my self?

      Reply
      • Shannon Emery

        September 01, 2020 at 8:11 pm

        Hi Sandra, thank you for your question. Unfortunately, it is not recommended by the National Center for Home Food to can any type of pesto since the herbs and oil in pesto are considered low acidity and could support the growth of nasty bacteria. If you'd like you can read in more detail here: http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html#31
        However, you could freeze it!

        Reply
    2. Alexandria

      November 05, 2019 at 5:55 pm

      Pesto is TOTALLY the besto <3 The photography in this is so beautiful and I am so excited to make this recipe!






      Reply
      • Shannon Emery

        November 07, 2019 at 12:50 pm

        Thanks so much Alexandria! ? I hope you enjoy this pesto! ❤️

        Reply
      • Debra Welch

        December 19, 2019 at 6:17 am

        Are the carbs right for 2 tbls ofsundried pesto?

        Reply
        • Shannon Emery

          December 19, 2019 at 4:51 pm

          Hi Debra, thanks for spotting that! Found the glitch so it should be calculating the carbs correctly now. : )

          Reply

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