Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, also knows as Pesto Rosso, is a bold pesto made with sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, nuts, basil, garlic, olive oil, and some crushed red pepper flakes. It takes 5 minutes to make and keep for up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
Servings: 8 (makes about 2 cups)
Calories: 219kcal
Ingredients
- 10 oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher coarse or sea salt more or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes more or less to toaste
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or a food processor. (Including the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes.)
- Pulse several times to begin to blend. Scrape sides of the blender and pulse a few more times. You may need to scrape the sides again and pulse a few more times until all ingredients are well blended.
Notes
- Nut Options: Traditionally, pesto rosso uses almonds rather than pine nuts. I find almonds to be too overpowering, so I use pine nuts is because of their mild, smooth, and oily texture that incorporates so perfectly with the other ingredients. You can also use cashews, they have a smooth and mild flavor as well but can be creamy in a texture.
- Storing: Store Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator. Keep it refrigerated for up to 10 days and remember to always use a clean spoon to scoop some out when needed.
- Freezing: you can easily freeze this pesto in small portion or in one batch:
Small portions: use ice cube trays and divide finished pesto rosso among the cups. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top of each cup. Freeze for 2-3 hours until it’s completely frozen (set a timer) and then transfer the pesto cubes into a freezer zip-lock bag. Label and place back in the freezer. Freeze for up to 2–3 months. (I find that smaller portions get frost-bite sooner. People also tend to open and close the bag more, which contributes to the shorter shelf life.)
Larger portions: transfer either 1/2 cup or 1 cup portions of pesto into freezer zip-lock bags. Get all the air out and seal each bag. Label and freeze for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 622IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg