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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Originally published in 2013, the text and images in this post have been updated to serve you better. The recipe remains the same.
If you like homemade pestos and easy condiments, prepare for this sun-dried tomato and pine nut pesto.
Oh my, it's just so good!
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.
You can even use it for the sun-dried tomato dip.
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. You can buy them online: organic dried tomatoes in olive oil or Sunbest sun-dried tomatoes.
- Pine nuts: though they are found in specialty stores, you can buy raw pine nuts online. They tend to be expensive compared to other nuts and are not commonly used.
- 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.
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).
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.
Related recipes you might like:
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Easy Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
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.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- ¾ cup packed stemmed fresh parsley
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 2 medium shallots
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup olive oil (or to taste)
Instructions
- Put the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let soften 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Chop very coarsely.
- In the bowl of a food processor, or immersion blender, put the chopped tomatoes, parsley, pine nuts, shallots, garlic, some pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- 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 more salt and pepper if necessary and add the vinegar.
- With the machine running, add the rest of the 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. Adjust if needed.
Notes
- Tomatoes: be sure to hydrate them well and chop them before mixing. Or buy the ready ones that come packed in olive oil and have a jar in the fridge at all times.
- 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.
- Keeping: 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 in the top (image above). This will prevent it from oxidizing and darkening. If that happens, simply remove that top layer with a spoon; you will see that beneath the pesto is bright red (similar to what happens with guacamole).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: â…›
- Calories: 188
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 16.1 mg
- Fat: 18.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.2 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: sun dried tomato pesto
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!
laurasmess.me says
Aw yum! I've never made a sundried tomato pesto but now I seriously want to! I love the fact that you paired it with goats cheese, one of my favourite healthy addictions 🙂 And even though it's a long way, I'm with e - would love you to come and visit us over here! You'd be welcome to dinner at my house any time 🙂 xx
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.