Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosso)

Why You'll Love It!

• Bold Flavor - Sun-dried tomatoes have a punchy, tart, and slightly fruity/sweet taste that's amplified by toasted almonds, balsamic vinegar, and lots of Pecorino Romano. I've tried multiple types of store-bought pesto rosso and found this homemade version to be the most flavorful by far.
• Less Fresh Basil Needed - The same quantity of red pesto uses about half the fresh basil leaves you'd need to make green pesto, making it more convenient or practical depending on the time of year.
• Ingredient Convenience - Strain the oil from the jar of tomatoes to use in this recipe, supplementing it with extra-virgin olive oil. This isn't just a way to prevent waste, but adds even more flavor.
• Versatility - In addition to pasta, pesto rosso has a great consistency for a sandwich spread (a party ciabatta sandwich, perhaps), dolloping over eggs, and more.
• Freezes Well - This recipe yields a generous amount to both enjoy now and freeze for later.

Ingredients to Make Homemade Pesto Rosso

• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: A jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (versus a packet of dry-packed) are the best option for making pesto rosso as they're moist and flavorful, and bonus: you don't need to rehydrate them before using. Some varieties include herbs in the oil marinade and feature julienne or halved tomatoes - any kind is good to use.
• Almonds: These are unsalted. Toasting the almonds adds a deeper flavor, though it's not a crucial step.
• Pecorino: Grating this yourself is recommended for the best flavor, but buying a high-quality refrigerated tub of pre-grated from the deli case is a good option, too. Parmesan can also be used.
• Basil: This plays off of the sun-dried tomatoes to add a complementary flavor that doesn't overwhelm.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Two teaspoons to amplify the bright acidity from the tomatoes.
• Paprika: This is subtle but works in the background to tie together all of the flavors.

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

1. Toast the Almonds - Add whole almonds to a dry sheet pan and roast at 325°F for 10 or so minutes, until the almonds become a deeper golden-brown and are becoming fragrant.
2. Gather the Ingredients - Add everything but the oil to the bowl of a food processor. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes but reserve the oil from the jar in a liquid measuring cup. Add enough olive oil to reach the ⅔-cup line.

3. Blitz - Pulse until the mixture broken up into small, even bits. Stop to carefully scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed to incorporate everything.
4. Add the Oil - With the food processor running, drizzle in the oil until the consistency is to your liking - it's normal for it to be on the thicker side.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Don't toss that jar oil: Using the oil that comes in the jar with the sun-dried tomatoes is a cost-effective and tasty addition to homemade pesto rosso. It's infused with lots of tomato flavor.
• Freeze half for later: Add leftover sun-dried tomato pesto to a zip-top bag, press flat before sealing (removing all excess air), and freeze for up to several months. Thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
• One batch = one pound of pasta: If replacing store-bought pesto rosso in a recipe, this homemade version will yield roughly 15 ounces of pesto sauce in total. It's sufficient to generously coat one pound of pasta...and you know I don't skimp on sauce. When making it I often use half to dress 8 ounces of pasta, and freeze the other half for future use.

Ways to Use Pesto Rosso

• Pasta sauce: Simply the best. You don't need to heat it before dressing pasta, simply toss it in the pot of hot drained pasta and it'll liquify the right amount as it heats up.
• As a spread: Its thicker consistency makes it easy to spread on sandwiches, crostini, etc. without it being too oily and making a mess. Swap it in for the traditional pesto on a pressed mortadella sandwich.
• As a garnish: Dollop over eggs, into soups, over pizza, etc. It can also be mixed into some mayonnaise for more of a dipping sauce consistency.
• As a topping for baked fish: I love this one so much! Spread a thick layer onto fish before baking. I do this often with baked salmon, with both basil and sun-dried tomato pesto. A nice and thick pesto really won't run off, but provides all the flavor punch you'll need.

My Favorite Quick and Easy Dinner Idea

If you're in need of a faster-than-fast pasta recipe that uses sun-dried tomato pesto, I have to share this one, pictured above. I've made it a few times now (sometimes doubling it) and it totally saves a busy weeknight. Plus my toddler likes it!

The time-savings really shine when you're using a half-batch of previously frozen pesto rosso. If you don't have to prepare the pesto fresh, this whole thing can be on the table in honestly 20 minutes or less with minimal dishes to wash.

Here's what you need:

• Half a batch of this sun-dried tomato pesto
• 8 ounces of your favorite dry pasta shape
• A 10-ounce bag of steam-in-bag Tuscan blend vegetables
• A few handfuls of baby spinach
• Half a can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans

1. Boil pasta to your preferred doneness.
2. Meanwhile, rinse and drain your beans and follow the package instructions to steam the vegetables.
3. Throw the spinach into the boiling pasta pot during the last minute of cook time for a quick wilt.
4. Drain the pasta/spinach once the timer goes off and toss with the veggies, beans, and pesto.

A few different frozen veggie blends would work here but I LOVE everything going on in a Tuscan veggies blend if you can find it (cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, squash, and spinach). In place of/in addition to beans, leftover chopped up cooked chicken also works well!

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