One of my favorite condiments ever, this sun-dried tomato pesto (or paste) is incredibly easy to make, lasts for a week, and can be ready in 15 minutes! Get the pasta going and enjoy a great meal in less than thirty minutes.
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A unique pesto that is incredibly delicious
Like most people, I love having easy pasta recipes on a weekday or as an easy weekend lunch.
A jar of this sun-dried tomato pesto solves that issue every time. So let me tell you more about it because it is as versatile as it is delicious.
If you like easy condiments, prepare for this sun-dried tomato and pine nut pesto.
Oh my, it's just so good! You can even use it for the sun-dried tomato dip.
Uses for sun-dried tomato pesto
- Pasta: the most traditional way of having pesto. Just boil your favorite dry pasta al dente, throw in a few spoonfuls of this tomato pesto, a few gratings of parmesan cheese, and that's it. Dinner's ready. Any pasta works, though I like short intricate shapes, such as fusilli, that have more surface for the pesto (or any sauce) to adhere to.
- Pizza: I first used this pesto as a base for pizza with goat cheese. So good! It was served as an appetizer. I wouldn't recommend eating your regular Sunday night pizza with this pesto alone. It would be too heavy. But, a spoonful in your regular pizza sauce will add a kick to it.
- Bruschetta: as an appetizer, nothing beats a good bruschetta, which is basically stuff on toast. The one above is served with a layer of this pesto and crumbled goat cheese on walnut bread.
- Dips: you can make a fast dip by mixing sun-dried tomato pesto with cream cheese. Serve it with breadsticks or as part of a charcuterie board.
- Sauce: use it as a sauce for grilled chicken, even better in leftover chicken sandwiches.
Ingredient list
- Sun-dried tomatoes: they are the star of the recipe, of course. I use them dried (as opposed to in oil or water) and hydrate them myself, usually with boiling water and sometimes white wine that I heat in the microwave.
- Pine nuts: they're usually found in specialty stores and online. They tend to be expensive compared to other nuts and are not commonly used. You can substitute them for walnuts.
- Shallots: there is no substitution for this flavorful ingredient, but you can mix garlic and onion if you can't find shallots.
- Fresh parsley.
- Olive oil: use the best you can afford, consider its strength, and adapt it to your palate. I love very strong ones, but not everyone does.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
About sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are fresh, ripe tomatoes cut in half and dried in the sun.
Or at least that's the way it's done in many countries. They lose all their water content, concentrating and intensifying their flavor.
Make sure you chop them to aid in the mixing. If you leave them whole, the immersion mixer or blender might not break them down enough.
Keeping them in olive oil is a great way. I almost always have a jar in the refrigerator. Spice it up with peeled garlic cloves, some red pepper flakes, or herbs.
What are pine nuts?
Also known as pignoli (their Italian name) I love them but they are the sophisticated sister in the nut group.
They are creamy and sweet, but can also have the slightest bitter undertone sometimes. They are fabulous with pasta and in pestos.
Other nuts: I sometimes use walnuts too which are more easily available. The pesto is amazing with either.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Tomatoes: be sure to hydrate them well and chop them before mixing.
- Nuts: use pine nuts or walnuts. Be very careful if you're toasting them, especially pine nuts, as they can burn in seconds. Always keep them in the fridge or the freezer (my choice). They can turn bitter and give you what is called pine nut mouth, a situation you don't want to get into. This is avoidable if you buy fresh nuts from reliable sources and keep them frozen. This goes for all nuts, not only pine nuts.
- Storage: it keeps well for a week at least. A glass jar with a tight lid works best. I use old marmalade or mason jars. And make sure it has a thin layer of olive oil on the top (image above). This will prevent it from oxidizing and darkening. If that happens, remove that top layer with a spoon; you will see bright red beneath the pesto (similar to what happens with guacamole).
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- ¾ cup packed stemmed fresh parsley
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 2 medium shallots
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup olive oil, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Put 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let soften for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Chop very coarsely.
- In the bowl of a food processor or a regular bowl if using an immersion blender, put the chopped tomatoes, ¾ cup parsley, ½ cup pine nuts (or walnuts), 2 medium shallots, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.
- Add ¼ cup olive oil and process until a paste starts to form.
- With a spatula, clear the sides of the bowl, and taste. Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and more salt and pepper if necessary.
- With the machine running, add ¼ cup more olive oil in a thin stream. Clear the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- The pesto is done when it's as chunkier or smooth as you want. You might not need the whole amount of oil. Check a final time for salt, pepper and vinegar and adjust if needed.
Notes
Barely adapted from Bon Appetit, August 1994
Kathy says
I think you and I are kindred spirits when it comes to recipes! I have been known to be a little obsessive when it comes to finding recipes that I know I have. This recipe for sun dried tomato and pine nut pesto was definitely worth the search. I will be bookmarking it!
e / dig in says
paula, the more i read your stories, the more i love you. i think we would get along fabulously, so when you are game to make it thru an international airport again and you arrive in hobart, i'm here!
than you for a delicious looking pesto recipe - i would never think to make my own sun-dried tomato pesto. your photos are glorious.
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker says
I love this pesto idea! You can spread it on crostini, sandwiches, pastas --oh yum! And your photos are absolutely gorgeous Paula! Have a great week. 🙂
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
This is my favorite pesto. Love it. And travel always rings a bell. We've all been there!
Cocoa and Lavender says
Oh, I know EXACTLY how you felt... the missing knife, the missing bag, the missing pine nuts I KNEW were purchased... I am quick to blame anybody but myself for not seeing it where it was all the time... 🙂 This pesto sounds great - and when I commented on your blog the other day about my sun-dried tomato pesto, I realized this morning that it was a sun-dried tomato tapenade. Also good... And now I want both. ~ David
thelittleloaf says
Homemade walnut raisin bread toasted and spread with this deliciousness sounds good to me! Our blender is broken at the moment - counting down the day until I can make gorgeous pestos again!
easyfoodsmith says
I have tried a similar pesto with tomatoes and walnuts. Your recipe looks delish too and will try it your way soon.
Sorry to know about your experience at the airport.
Angie Schneider says
This would be a perfect recipe to use the oven dried tomatoes I made last week. Gotta get some more pine nuts..the stuff is so good!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula,
I love the story about you at the airport. . We've all been there so don't feel bad. . and I feel the same way about my Food & Wine magazines but Madeline has not rec'd the memo yet. She always seems to find one and rips out a few pages. . so I have since moved all of them up where she cannot reach them. at least for now. 🙂
Dude, this pesto!!!! I love anything I can slather on a piece of bread . . and topped with some goat´s feta cheese?!!! what?!!!! The bomb, indeed! yum.
Bam's Kitchen says
Love these flavours in here. A great make ahead snack for gatherings or just a wonderful pesto in your pasta. Do you put a little oil on top and store in the refrigerator if you have left overs?
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
Yay! You promised this recipe and I've been looking forward to it... + somehow I'd missed the cauliflower pesto. Oh baby! I may add an anchovy or two - looks spectacular!
What is that that makes us temporarily blind to what we're looking for? It reminds me of cartoons with swirling eyes - sometimes it feels that way. 🙂
The Ninja Baker says
Sun dried tomatoes are a star ingredient in any recipe, nest-ce pas?
Your story at the airport made me smile...Travel is fun but does take a bit of energy...And keeping the spirits up certainly can be a challenge.
BTW Not to detour travel to LAX...But my friends from the UK swear they are going to go through customs at SFO next time =)
yummychunklet says
Tasty looking pesto!
Guru Uru says
This pesto looks lovely, who needs green 😉
Great flavour combo!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Beth says
Your pesto looks lovely. And my sympathies about the missing suitcase. Sometimes when I travel, I get pretty bleary-eyed too!
Renee says
I have pine nuts in my freezer and a jar of sun dried tomatoes in my pantry. Excuse me while I go whip up a batch...
Helene Dsouza says
Oh yeah it looks incredible. I NEED to try this, so I ll save it for a time when I have pine nuts. Smart recipe Paula, glad you shared it with us, I am completely inspired!
Jeannie Tay says
I must say this looks absolutely yummy! I agreed they are very versatile and easy to make:D
Liz Berg says
Oh, I can see so many uses for your magnificent pesto, Paula. But I'd start with this stunning nibble with the goat cheese....swooning.