Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
The bright, sweet, and savory flavors of Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto make it a fantastic addition to your favorite pastas, appetizers, and breads!
The tangy, savory flavors in Sun Dried Tomato Pesto are a delicious shock to everyone’s taste buds, especially if you’ve been eating bland, boring pasta dishes! This sun-dried tomato pesto recipe is packed with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh and dried spices, pine nuts, and olive oil, so it’s a powerhouse of flavor that is perfect as a dip, a sandwich spread, on pizza, or tossed with your favorite pasta!
Sun Dried Deliciousness
Sun-dried tomato pesto is loaded with amazing sweet and savory flavors, thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes and spices, and is one of our go-to party appetizers! I toss out crostini and herbed crackers with a bowl of this pesto, and before I know it, it’s disappeared! I’ve even converted a few people who claimed to dislike tomato pasta dishes with this amazing pesto; that’s how fantastic these flavors are. Spread this lovely pesto over pizza and top with basil and fresh mozzarella for a summertime treat, or enjoy it on a sandwich- no matter how you eat it, it’s delicious!
Try a mouthwatering Pesto French Bread Pizza with sun-dried tomato pesto for a flavor party or treat the crowd to tasty Pizza Dough Breadsticks to dip into the pesto!
Other Recipes to Serve with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Easy to make and wildly flavorful, Copycat Carabba’s Cavatappi Amatriciana is the perfect dish to serve after enjoying a sun-dried tomato pesto appetizer!
- When entertaining a crowd, Backyard Blackberry Sangria is the perfect drink to keep everyone cool while enjoying the company and sweet summer flavors!
Ingredients
Produce: Stop by the produce section to pick up fresh basil and garlic.
Pantry Items: Set out a jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, the olive oil, granulated sugar, and pine nuts for this recipe. Before making this recipe, be sure to pat the sun-dried tomatoes with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
Seasoning: You will need a little salt and pepper for this pesto.
Cheese: Grab some Parmesan cheese to shred for this recipe.
Water: You will need hot water if your sun-dried tomatoes are dry-packed, along with a little cold water for mixing the pesto.
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
STEP ONE: Place the sun-dried tomatoes and hot water in a medium mixing bowl. Let the tomatoes hydrate for 4-5 minutes. Then drain off the water.
STEP TWO: Add the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, granulated sugar, pine nuts, pepper, and parmesan cheese to a food processor.
STEP THREE: Cover the bowl and pulse until the mixture is chunky and combined. Add one tablespoon of water and pulse again. Continue to add water and pulse just until the pesto reaches the consistency you like.
STEP FOUR: Taste the pesto to see if you need to add salt. Start with a pinch at a time, blending between each addition. Enjoy the pesto immediately on your favorite bread, pasta, pizza, and more!
Tips for Success
- The sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese give the pesto a wonderful saltiness, so you may not need to add salt. Be sure to taste test the pesto before adding salt.
- Only add enough water while pulsing to achieve the desired texture. That way, you can make it as thick or thin as you like.
- If you have walnuts or almonds on hand, you can use those in place of pine nuts.
- Store this pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze it for up to 3 months. The pesto will freeze solid, so be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying it again.
Is tomato pesto the same as sun-dried tomatoes?
When you stop by the grocery store and check out the sun-dried tomato area, you will typically see jars of sun-dried tomatoes, jars of tomato pesto, and tubes of tomato paste. These are all separate food items made with tomatoes. You can skip making homemade sun-dried tomato pesto and purchase a jar, but I can assure you that homemade tastes best. Juliened sun-dried tomatoes are the key ingredient for making pesto, and tomato paste is a concentrated tomato product that can be used in a variety of ways. So, when you head to the store to pick up the ingredients you need for this pesto recipe, be sure to grab the jar that says sun-dried tomatoes!
Do you eat pesto hot or cold?
You can enjoy pesto in several ways, including hot or cold! Freshly made pesto should be room-temperature, which tastes the best as a spread or a dip. The pesto will naturally heat up when mixed with freshly boiled pasta or when baked on a pizza, which is obviously delicious! Mixing pesto with cold pasta or making pesto deviled eggs, which need to be chilled, also makes for tasty dishes. So yes, you do eat pesto hot or cold, and with whatever you love to serve it with!
More Flavorful Pesto Recipes to Love!
- Sun Dried Tomato Dip
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Pesto Deviled Eggs
- Sun Dried Tomato Wonton Bites
- Homemade Pesto Sauce
*This post originally posted on 02/23/2016.
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sun dried tomatoes (dry packed or in oil)
- ¾ cup hot water
- ½ cup basil leaves
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 4-5 minutes. Drain off the water.
- Add the tomatoes, basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, pepper, sugar, olive oil, and cold water to the bowl of a food processor.
- Cover and blend until all ingredients are combined. The pesto will be a bit chunky. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and blend until your desired consistency is reached. Add salt to taste.
- Transfer to a serving bowl or an airtight container for storage in the fridge (up to 1 week). Spread on toasted baguettes, mix into pasta, or use as a pizza base.
Notes
- I’ve used dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes in oil for this recipe. Both work fine. Drain any excess oil from the tomatoes before using. You can even blot them with paper towels.
- To toast the pine nuts: Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes until they have a fragrant, nutty aroma and a light golden color. Transfer the pine nuts to a bowl to cool.
