Pesto Rosso (Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto)
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 180kcal
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosso) is delicious tossed with pasta or gnocchi, spread on crostini, or dolloped on chicken, steak or pork. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients in 5 minutes!
Print Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 8.5 ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil or 1 cup dry packed sun dried tomatoes*
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil up to ½ cup
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine sun dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt, basil and pine nuts in a food processor, and process until finely chopped.
- With the machine running, drizzle in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the parmesan and lemon juice and pulse a few times to combine. Store in refrigerator or freezer.
Video
Notes
*When using dry packed sun dried tomatoes, you will need to use additional olive oil to reach your desired consistency.
Storage
- Leftover pesto will keep in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container for up to five days. If you would like to store it for longer, it can be frozen for up to three months.
- I like to make a double batch and freeze my basil pesto in ice cube trays. Once frozen, I pop the cubes into a ziploc bag. The smaller portions thaw quicker in the fridge, and are super convenient.
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Swap out the basil leaves for another fresh green like arugula, parsley or spinach.
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Add in other flavors like kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, or roasted red peppers.
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Substitute walnuts, almonds, pecans or pistachios for the pine nuts.
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Swap out the lemon juice for another acid like balsamic vinegar, red wine, white or apple cider vinegar. Or, for even more lemon flavor, add in some lemon zest.
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For a vegan pesto, try swapping in nutritional yeast for the parmesan.
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For a spicy version, add in a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 276IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg