Sun Dried Tomato Pesto • Video & Variations on Pesto • Two Purple Figs

Five minutes is all you need to make this Sun Dried Tomato Pesto in your food processor. Perfect with pasta or in a pasta salad, as a topping for chicken, spread on a sandwich or wrap, or served as a creamy pesto dip! Sharing a video, uses and variations for this pesto recipe below 🙂

Homemade pesto has so much flavor and is so much more balanced than the ones you can find in a jar at the store. Plus, it’s super easy to customize your favorite pesto recipe to fit the ingredients you have in your pantry and your tastes. 

There’s something about making pesto that’s soothing. I have a whole GUIDE with video on this Basil Pesto post. Everything you need to know about pesto, storing, freezing, using, swapping or skipping nuts and more. Plus a Pesto Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and you can absolutely make a sun dried tomato pesto pasta using this recipe.

And finally Crispy Baked Pierogies with Broccoli Pesto is a fun variation using broccoli pesto! SO GOOD!

WHY SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO?

I am an absolute fan of pestos in general, and this Sun Dried Tomato Pesto in particular. It’s an obsession almost, and it’s one I can’t hide.

This Sun Dried Tomato Pesto recipe is an absolutely addictive one that you can use on so many different dishes.

It’s perfect on its own tossed with pasta or served as a pasta salad, slathered on grilled chicken, fish, and meat, as a spread on sandwiches and burgers, and much more. The flavor of sun dried tomatoes is enhanced by the addition of herbs, scallions (optional),  lemon, and garlic, then processed with walnuts and olive oil. Five minutes and a food processor are all you need!

You will love this recipe for Sun Dried Tomatoes Pesto because it comes together in five minutes and you can throw in many different ingredients and end up with endless varieties of pestos.

INGREDIENTS FOR SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO

• Sun-Dried Tomatoes. These are jarred. Quality varies, so make sure to choose a good brand.
• Basil Leaves.
• Garlic Cloves.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes. These are optional and used for heat.
• Salt and Pepper.
• Walnuts. This pesto can be made with pine nuts, pecans, or almonds.
• Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese.
• Extra Version Olive Oil. Using high-quality olive oil makes a huge difference in the flavor of any pesto sauce. I love Mina Olive Oil. I’ve highlighted so many recipes why it’s my favorite in terms of quality, health benefits and of course, taste! (recipes below)
• Lemon Juice. To brighten it up a bit and cut through the richness.

Olive Oil Recipes-
Spaghetti aglio e olio – Olive oil Pasta

Olive Oil Cake

Labneh Dip with Zaatar Pistachio Mint Olive Topping

Tuna Salad Recipe with Olive Oil Dressing

Whipped Feta 

Honeynut Squash

Pita Chips

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

HOW TO MAKE SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

The recipe for this creamy homemade pesto is SIMPLE! Add all the ingredients apart from olive oil and lemon juice to your food processor and pulse until a coarse paste forms.

Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until smooth.

I love making this Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and I know you’ll love it as well! I think it’s the tomato garlic basil Parmesan combination that is so familiar and brings a level of comfort to our food, then comes the walnut, scallions, and lemon to spike the flavors and make it a little more intriguing.

Get your food processor out and enjoy the world of pesto sauces! 🙂

HOW TO USE SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO

Well, on a rushed day, I’ll boil some spaghetti, toss it with a type of pesto, and have a fabulous dish ready in 10 minutes!

• This sun-dried tomato pesto goes especially well with chicken! If you have no time to marinate chicken, beef, or fish—I’ll cook or grill them and then smear a thin layer of pesto on top for a fabulous boost of flavor!

• This pesto recipe also goes really well with fettuccini, similar to our Pistachio Pesto, because the flat surface gathers more of the sauce.

• Another favorite is a smear of Sun Dried Tomato Pesto on my sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. It works very well with a tomato and mozzarella sandwich or wrap, and also pairs well with a sandwich made from chicken breast, provolone, and tomatoes.

• I also love to flavor or make my salad dressings with homemade pestos—by simply taking a teaspoon of pesto and diluting it with a type of vinegar, a little more olive oil, and sometimes mustard, or, mayo. Instant homemade salad dressing.

• For a quick snack, you can make a creamy pesto dip out of pesto by adding a 1:2 ratio of pesto to cream cheese (or sour cream or a combo of both). Use crackers, pita chips, tortilla chips, warmed pita, or warmed naan for dipping.

HOW TO STORE SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO SAUCE

The beauty of homemade pesto is that you can store it in the fridge for up to one month. This particular pesto may keep even longer given the high oil content brought by the tomatoes.

It’s a perfect solution if you’re ever rushed on time, the first thing you’ll reach for will be your pesto jar with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pesto! The perfect condiment to turn any simple dinner into a Mediterranean meal!

Store your pesto in a jar. Keep it beautiful and bright by adding a layer of olive oil to the top of the jar. This helps the pesto stay fresh longer. You can read all about PESTO making, storing and variations with video on this Basil Pesto post.

You can freeze pesto! Watch the video on this Basil Pesto post! Here’s how:

Line a sheet pan or cake pan with parchment paper and pour the pesto on top, spreading it out.

Place another layer of parchment on top. Freeze it solid and place it in a freezer quality zipper bag, still wrapped in the parchment.

This is super easy — way easier than freezing it in ice cube trays. Plus it allows you to pick your portion of sauce when you are ready to cook. Simply trim off whatever you need and leave the rest for later. Keep it for up to eight months.

TIPS FOR THE BEST SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO

• Feel free to try this homemade pesto recipe with kalamata olives, oregano, and a few capers. You can also change out the spices with oregano, rosemary, or a combination of spices.
• You can store your Sun Dried Tomato pesto in the fridge for up to a month. For freezer option, read and watch the video of this Basil Pesto.
• Another fabulous recipe I love using this creamy Italian pesto for is in my pesto stuffed shrimps recipe!
• Because pesto sauce is not cooked, the quality of the ingredients really comes through and makes the dish. I highly recommend high-quality olive oil such as the Mina Moroccan brand, and high-quality sun dried tomatoes. It really does make a difference.
• Pick your texture preference! Pulse the pesto gently in your food processor until it’s exactly the level of coarseness you prefer. If you’d like it to be smoother or creamier, just keep going.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

5 Minutes is all you need to make this homemade Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto in your food processor. Perfect with pasta or in a pasta salad, as a topping for chicken or served as a creamy pesto dip! 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4
  cup
  large sun-dried tomato
  chopped (packed in oil)
• 1/2
  cup
  basil leaves
  torn into small pieces
• 2
  clove
  garlic
  peeled
• 1
  pinch
  crushed red pepper flakes
  (optional)
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  salt
• 1/4
  teaspoon
  black pepper
• 1/4
  cup
  walnuts
  chopped
• 1/3
  cup
  freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2
  cup
  extra virgin olive oil
  ( or a mix of olive oil and sun dried tomato preserving oil)
• 1
  tablespoon
  lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a food processor, add sun-dried tomato, garlic, scallions, basil, parsley, walnuts, seasonings, Parmesan and pulse until mixture forms into a coarse paste.

2. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until it forms a pesto as chunky or smooth as you prefer the texture to be.

3. Store the pesto in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Recipe Notes

TIPS FOR THE BEST SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO

• Feel free to try this homemade pesto recipe with kalamata olives, oregano, and a few capers. You can also change out the spices with oregano, rosemary, or a combination of spices.
• You can store your Sun-Dried Tomato pesto in the fridge for up to a month.
• Another fabulous recipe I love using this creamy Italian pesto for is in my pesto stuffed shrimps recipe!
• Because pesto sauce is not cooked, the quality of the ingredients really comes through and makes the dish. I highly recommend high-quality olive oil such as the Moroccan brand, and high-quality sun-dried tomatoes. It really does make a difference.
• Pick your texture preference! Pulse the pesto gently in your food processor until it’s exactly the level of coarseness you prefer. If you’d like it to be smoother or creamier, just keep going.

Nutrition Facts

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 736
Calories from Fat 630

% Daily Value*

Fat 70g108%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 6mg2%

Sodium 818mg36%

Potassium 1108mg32%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 1710IU34%

Vitamin C 32mg39%

Calcium 200mg20%

Iron 4.2mg23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.