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Sun-dried tomato pesto is rich, sweet, and has an intense amount of flavor. Mixed into pasta, cooked with chicken, or spread onto toast, this flavorful and versatile pesto is a great alternative to classic basil pesto.
Pesto (of all kinds) is one of my favorite condiments to have on hand because it’s versatile and in a pinch, it can transform a dish without ever needing to run to the grocery store. The fresh flavors of pesto is packed into the container and preserved so it’s essentially like having fresh ingredients.
I have an affinity for sun-dried tomatoes. I think I actually first ever had sun-dried tomatoes at Cheesecake Factory and one of their pasta dishes that I recreated. I love the chewy texture of sun-dried tomatoes along with how rich and deep the flavors are. When this recipe was first written in 2012, I had just dabbled with sun-dried tomato pesto. I had a big jar of it because my hyper-fixation started right after that dinner and since I couldn’t use it fast enough, I had to think of something to make with it. I thought to just blend it all together in the food processor with a few other ingredients and well, this sun-dried tomato pesto came to be.
The sun-dried tomatoes’ sweet and rich flavors blended with fragrant garlic, nutty parmesan cheese, and fresh basil really transform this pesto into a flavor bomb.
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Like most pesto recipes, you put everything into the food processor and blitz it until it’s the consistency that you desire. As a general rule, for pesto, you want it to be thick and well-formed when you take a spoon to it. There are some runnier pestos which is just using more olive oil, but I prefer it to be nice and thick.
Ways to Use
This all-purpose condiment is most often used as a sauce for pasta, but since it’s so versatile, adding it to your favorite tomato-based soup recipe like lasagna soup or minestrone soup will help amplify the flavors. I also like serving this in a little dish with a spread of pita chips, cucumbers, and other vegetables for a delightful appetizer for guests. Adding this into a stuffed chicken is another yummy option and also spreading this onto a grilled chicken sandwich!
Storage Instructions
Sun-dried tomato pesto can be stored in a lidded container or glass jar for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them in two tablespoon cubes for up to 6 months.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8.5 ounces (28 g) sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 ounces fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, add in your sun-dried tomatoes (including the oil), garlic cloves, basil, and parmesan cheese.
- Pulse the food processor until the mixture comes together into a thick paste-like consistency. If you need more olive oil, drizzle more in and process again.
- Taste it and see if it needs anything more. If not, give it one last nice long pulse and store it in an airtight container or jar in the fridge.
Nutrition
Love this recipe Julie! AND those spoons! Where can I find them?
Thanks, Laurie! I got the spoons at Sur La Table :) they were $0.95!
Great twist on classic pesto. And great photo too.
Girl, yes, I would eat the whole stinking jar!
Beautiful picture!
i love sundried tomato pesto! can’t believe how easy it is to make! happy february :)
LOOOOVVVVEEEE this! So up my alley. I’d eat with everything!
yum, this would be great just on warm crostini as an appetizer. lovely pics, too!
Yum! I love the photos as well – the colour of the pesto looks amazing against that blue background.
I love adding sun dried tomatoes to pesto. I’ve never done one with just them but added to a basil or spinach pesto, it’s delicious so I’d imagine this deliciousness is off the charts!
I am so glad I found your blog. Your recipes look absolutely phenomenal. I rarely dried sun-dried tomatoes because they can be quite expensive, but buying them in bulk from Costco seems like the perfect solution. :)