Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe

Square, top-down photo of a glass bowl filled with sun-dried tomato pesto, finished with olive oil and fresh basil.

5 from 5 votes

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe

Just 5 minutes to this flavor-packed sun-dried tomato pesto. Enjoy with pasta, soup, sandwiches, and more!

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Servings: cups (approx)

Calories: 922kcal

Chef: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

▢ 1 (7-ounce) jar sun dried tomatoes - oil drained
▢ 1 cup chopped tomatoes - I used fresh cherry tomatoes
▢ ¼ cup pine nuts - or cashews
▢ 10-12 fresh basil leaves
▢ 2-3 tablespoon freshly shredded parmesan cheese - optional, but recommended
▢ 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
▢ salt and pepper - to taste
▢ 1-2 tablespoon water

Instructions

Drain the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. Tip: reserve a little of the oil from the jar for extra flavor.) Grate the parmesan cheese and halve or chop the tomatoes.
In the bowl of a food processor (or high-speed blender), combine the drained sun-dried tomatoes, fresh chopped tomatoes, pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and shredded parmesan cheese (if using).
Pulse the mixture a few times until everything is roughly chopped.
With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. This will help create a smoother, creamier pesto. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Add the water, if needed, then pulse a few more times to fully combine. If it is still too thick, add additional water or olive oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, to help move things along. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the pesto to a bowl or jar. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

Yield: This recipe makes approximately 1 to 1¼ cups of sun-dried tomato pesto, depending on how much water and oil is added. This is enough for 1 pound of cooked pasta combined with ½-1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

I like to make this recipe using a food processor. The wide bowl makes it easy to scrape down the sides and monitor the consistency. If you don't own a food processor, no worries! A high speed blender is just as effective.

Nutrition

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