This sun-dried tomato pesto is bold, punch and an absolute flavour-bomb. Known in Italian as pesto rosso (red pesto), this quick sauce instantly makes pasta, meats, sandwiches and roast vegetables taste extra special. See my huge list further down the post for ways to use it.
It comes together in 5 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients and a food processor, but the flavour is anything but basic. Keep it thick and rustic, loosen it for pasta, blitz in roasted red pepper for a softer, almost-creamy finish or add a splash of balsamic for extra tang sweetness or depth.
Try it in this one pan chicken pesto pasta bake or swap it for the basil pesto in this pesto chicken calzone.
❤️ Why it works!
- Substitute for basil pesto in any recipe
- Big flavour fast: Punchy, rich and savoury in just 5 minutes!
- Just 6 ingredients and most are pantry stable
- No cooking required, just a food processor or even a mortar & pestle
- Easy to adjust, I share ideas on how to tweak it to suit you
- Keeps well: Make it on the weekend for a quick flavour boost during the week
This recipe was first published here on April 7th, 2018 and has been updated with clearer images, step-by-step instructions, and a very slightly modified recipe).
Table of contents
What is tomato pesto?
Sun-dried tomato pesto, also known as pesto rosso (red pesto) or simply tomato pesto is a tomato-based version of the classic basil pesto (aka pesto genovese). Where basil pesto uses basil as the hero ingredient, tomato pesto used sun-dried tomatoes for a bold and punch tomato flavour.
Along with the tomatoes, pesto rosso is made from nuts (I use pine nuts, but almonds are wonderful too), parmesan, salt and oil. The ingredients are blended together to a paste-like consistency, and it’s ideal for using over pasta, in sandwiches, with cheese, on crostini, on pizza, the list goes on.
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Ingredients in tomato pesto
With just 6 simple ingredients, and 5 of those being pantry-friendly, tomato pesto is a recipe you can throw together as a last-minute addition to dinners, grazing boards or having on hand for meals during the week.
- Sun-dried tomatoes:
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil are the best choice here. They’re soft and blend easily. In addition, you can use the oil they’re packed in to add even more flavour to your pesto.
- Vacuum-packed sundried tomatoes: These will work best if you cover them with boiling water for 20 minutes to soften them a little. Make sure to drain and dry them thoroughly before using.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic for the best flavour here. You can add the garlic to your taste but keep in mind, it is not cooked so it will be extra punchy.
- Pine nuts are fairly traditional in pesto – they have a soft, buttery, slightly sweet flavour and are delicate rather than bold. For pesto rosso, this means pine nuts add a creaminess without taking attention away from the tomatoes. You can use any other nut you like, and each will give a slightly different result. Almonds are the next best option, and they have the benefit of being more affordable, too.
- Parmesan cheese: I really recommend grating your own parmesan from a block here. It gives the pesto a fresher, fuller flavour and blends in beautifully for a lovely savoury, cheesy finish.
- Olive oil: I recommend a light-flavoured olive oil for this sun-dried tomato pesto. If you’re using sun dried tomatoes in oil, make sure to use that oil in your pesto, topped up with the olive oil to the correct amount. A bold extra-virgin olive oil can be a little overpowering here, though if you love its peppery flavour, use some or all of that.
Optional add-ins
- Roasted red peppers can add sweetness and tang while giving an almost-creamy texture.
- Red pepper flakes (dried chilli flakes) are great for adding a little spicy kick.
How to make sun dried tomato pesto
With absolutely no cooking involved, this sun-dried tomato pesto is so quick to make – 5 minutes kind of quick. I love to use a food processor for ease and speed, but make sure to scrape down the sides a couple of times during the processing and don’t overprocess, which can cause the olive oil to become bitter.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Toast the pine nuts
Toasting the pine nuts adds extra depth to the pesto by intensifying the natural buttery, nutty flavour.
Simply spread them out on a baking tray and bake at 180C/350F for 5-10 minutes, shaking the pan every so often, until they look golden. You can also cook them in a dry frying pan over medium heat, again shaking the pan regularly so they toast evenly. Nuts can burn easily so keep a close eye on them.
2. Start to process
Begin the pesto by adding the tomatoes, minus the oil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and parmesan to a food processor bowl and blitz until quite finely chopped.
3. Add the oil
While the processor is on the lowest setting, drizzle in the oil up to ¾ of a cup. Scrape down the sides of the food processor a couple of times throughout. Test the consistency and add a little more oil, up to a total of 1 cup, to loosen the tomato pesto slightly.
I like this pesto quite chunky but you can adjust the consistency to your liking. If you want a smoother red pesto, process the tomatoes longer before adding the oil, then blitz further after. Add more oil or even roasted peppers or fresh cherry tomatoes for a looser consistency too.
How to use sun dried tomato pesto
There are so many ways to use red pesto. It can be served cold, warm or cooked into other recipes so it really is a versatile, flavour-bomb ingredient.
- Stir it through pasta adding a little of the pasta water to loosen it into a sauce that coats the pasta well.
- Add it to pasta sauce (homemade or shopbought) for even more richness and flavour.
- As a pizza sauce or inside calzone
- Stuffed inside chicken breast or pork fillet before baking.
- As a spread in sandwiches
- On crostini with ricotta or simply added to a charcuterie board
- Mixed into salad dressing like the one in my Italian tray bake
- Mixed through potato salad or pasta salad
- Mix it with cream cheese, sour cream or yoghurt for a dip
- Swirled through bread dough before baking or added to garlic bread.
- Mix through soups to give them a flavour punch. Try it with this roasted tomato soup.
- Use it in a red pesto butter, then freeze for later use on cooked steaks, seafood or chicken or stirred through pasta.
The wonderful thing about this pesto is it can be swapped for basil pesto in any recipe that uses it. It is a slightly ‘drier’ paste than my fresh basil pesto or celery leaf pesto, but you can add a little extra oil and / or a dash of water while mixing until it reaches the desired consistency.
Variations
Once you’ve tried this gorgeous pesto rosso recipe, try some little twists to change it up.
- Roasted red peppers blended into the mix will make the red pesto a little tangier, sweeter and give a smoother, almost creamy texture.
- Adding fresh cherry tomatoes will loosen the texture while not compromising the tomato flavour.
- A dash of balsamic vinegar adds depth, a little brightness and a little sweetness. It can also slightly darken the colour.
- Lemon zest or juice will add acidic brightness and that classic lemony tang.
- Herbs, either dried or fresh, can add a lift and freshness and balance the richness. Fresh basil is lovely, but fresh parsley is also great. A teaspoon or so of Italian seasoning works well but give it time to soften into the pesto before use.
- Pecorino Romano in place of the Parmesan will add a saltier, more intense flavour.
Storage
To keep your tomato pesto as fresh as possible, store it in an airtight jar or container just big enough for it, in the back of the fridge where the temperature is more consistent. For extra protection, smooth the surface and add a thin layer of olive oil to help seal out the air. Simply stir the oil in, or pour it away before using (making sure not to pour away the oil that should be in the pesto).
The pesto can keep up to 3-4 weeks if it is covered with a thin layer of oil before sealing and remains unopened for a couple of weeks. Once opened, use it within 2 weeks.
It can also be frozen – freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer the solid portions to an airtight container to keep for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Pesto rosso means red pesto. It’s a tomato-based pesto usually made with sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, nuts, garlic and oil.
Yes, but they usually require softening first. Soften in boiling water for 20 minutes, then dry before blending.
Yes, there’s no need to waste it. The oil the tomatoes are stored in has wonderful flavour.
Yes, you can freeze sundried tomato pesto. Freeze it first in ice cube trays, then transfer to an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Short shapes like shells, fusilli, penne, rigatoni and orecchiette work beautifully as the pasta catches the pesto but spaghetti and linguine are great too. Bronze cut or bronze extruded pasta is the best style for holding onto sauces.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup, packed sundried tomatoes in oil is best and sliced – notes 1. (200g / 7oz / or around 300g/10½oz including the oil)
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup pine nuts or other nuts, notes 3 (50g / 1 ¾oz)
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese finely grated lightly packed, (20g / ¾oz)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾-1 cup sun dried tomato oil / light flavoured olive oil notes 2
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- Food processor or electric blender
Instructions
- TOAST THE PINE NUTS:Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Place the pine nuts onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until golden and smelling nutty. Tip: You can also toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat, tossing regularly until golden.
- Transfer pine nuts to a plate or bowl to stop them cooking.
- TO MAKE THE TOMATO PESTO:Make sure you've measured the tomatoes without the oil but reserve the oil for the pesto. If your tomatoes did not come in oil see notes.
- Place the tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan and salt into a food processor and blend until finely chopped.
- With the processor on low, drizzle in ¾ cup of oil until all incorporated. You can add another ¼ cup of oil to adjust the consistency without making it too oily.Tip: Thickness can be adjusted by blending slightly longer or adding a dash of water. If adding to pasta, using a little of the pasta water to help distribute it through the pasta.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- Sun-dried tomatoes: It’s best to use sun-dried tomatoes in oil – they’re softer, and the oil can be used in the pesto, adding even more amazing flavour. If you can only get dry-packed or air-packed sun dried tomatoes, soften them first to make it easier to blend them, by soaking them in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly before adding to the food processor.
- Oil quantity: You want a minimum of ¾ cup of oil (or up to 1 cup, to your preference). Use the oil that came with the sun dried tomatoes and top that up using a light flavoured olive oil.
- Nuts: Feel free to use other nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews or macadamias.
- Yield: roughly 1 ½ cups.
- Calories shown is per cup.
- Store: In a jar at the back of the fridge, will keep well for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months – use ice cube trays so you can defrost just what you need.
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5 Comments on “Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosso)”
I made this the first time a few days ago. Had an open jar of semi-dried tomatoes I wanted to use up. This had gorgeous umami flavour. Incredibly simple and versatile!
Thank you so much for sharing this.
I’m so happy you love it, Irene.
I absolutely love sundried tomatoes, this recipe is genius and so easy!
It’s super simple. Thank you Trang
Ideal ingredients, Irresistible !