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    Home » Recipes » Dips, Sauces, Spreads, and Spices

    Pesto Rosso

    Published: Nov 8, 2016 · Modified: Mar 31, 2023 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Pesto Rosso packs bold flavor into one quick and easy recipe. Sicilian in origin, this sun-dried tomato pesto makes a delicious pasta sauce, panini spread, condiment for eggs, and more.

    Blended pesto rosso sauce in a bowl with a spoon.

    Far be it from me to besmirch traditional basil pesto in any way, but there's no getting around the fact that you need to have access to fresh basil (and lots of it) in order to make it. Oftentimes that's tough!

    If my backyard herb garden isn't up and running, I've found it's nearly impossible to buy enough quality basil at the supermarkets near me to make a batch. And as someone who cooks with it often, subpar supermarket basil is a serious thorn in my side.

    Basta! This pesto rosso recipe comes in clutch as a different but equally bold and delicious homemade substitute for basil pesto.

    Penne coated in pesto rosso in a bowl with a fork.

    Reasons to Love This Recipe

    • 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 homemade by far to be the most flavorful.
    • Less Basil - The same quantity of pesto rosso uses about half of the fresh basil leaves you'd need to make traditional pesto, making it more convenient.
    • Versatility - In addition to pasta, pesto rosso has a great consistency for a sandwich spread, dolloping over eggs, and more.
    • Freezes Well - This recipe yields a generous amount to both enjoy now and freeze for later.

    What is Pesto Rosso?

    Pesto Rosso ("Red Pesto") gets its color from sun-dried tomatoes and is thought to have originated in Sicily. Beyond the big base difference in ingredients when compared to basil pesto, pesto rosso recipes often use almonds in place of pine nuts and include balsamic vinegar.

    But as with many Italian recipes, there are variations. Sometimes you'll see different fresh herbs used, like rosemary, or extra base ingredients added alongside the sun-dried tomatoes, like olives, roasted red peppers, or artichoke hearts.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Recipe ingredients in separate containers labeled with text names.
    • Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Oil-packed (versus dry-packed) are the best option for making sun-dried tomato pesto as they're more flavorful and you don't need to rehydrate them before using.
    • 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.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    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.
    Toasted almonds in a bowl (left) and pesto rosso ingredients in a food processor (right).
    1. 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.
    2. Add the Oil - With the food processor running, drizzle in the oil until the consistency is to your liking.
    Pesto rosso in the food processor before (left) and after (right) adding olive oil.

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Jar Oil - Using the olive 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.
    • Sun-Dried Tomato Options - Some jarred sun-dried tomatoes come with the addition of herbs and spices. I like to stick with plain as you'll be adding fresh basil, though seasoned tomatoes would work fine if they're what you have, just know they'll have a small impact on the overall flavor.
    • Freezing Instructions - Simply add leftover sun-dried tomato pesto to a zip-top bag, press out excess air, and freeze for several months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
    • Yield - If replacing store-bought pesto rosso in a recipe, this homemade version will yield roughly 15 ounces in total. It's sufficient to generously coat one pound of pasta. When making it I often use half to dress 8 ounces of pasta, and freeze the other half for future use.
    Sun-dried tomato pesto in a ceramic bowl.

    Uses for Pesto Rosso

    • It makes a seriously good pasta sauce. You do not need to heat the pesto, simply toss with hot pasta.
    • Its thicker consistency makes it easy to spread on sandwiches, crostini, etc. without it being too oily and making a mess.
    • Dollop over eggs, into soups, over pizza, etc.
    • Spread onto fish before baking.
    A serving of penne pesto rosso topped with fresh basil and grated Pecorino.

    More Pesto Recipes

    • Creamy arugula pesto sauce in a bowl.
      Arugula Pesto
    • A shallow bowl of pesto pasta primavera with a fork.
      Pesto Pasta Primavera
    • A bowl of spinach pesto with a spoon in it.
      Spinach Pesto Recipe
    • A serving bow of kale pesto hummus topped with olive oil and pine nuts.
      Kale Pesto Hummus

    If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!

    Blended pesto rosso sauce in a bowl with a spoon.

    Pesto Rosso

    Pesto Rosso packs bold flavor into one quick and easy recipe. Sicilian in origin, this sun-dried tomato pesto makes a delicious pasta sauce, panini spread, condiment for eggs, and more.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 230kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup whole raw almonds
    • 1 8-ounce jar oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes reserve the oil
    • 1 cup fresh basil leaves fairly well-packed
    • ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
    • 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
    • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 5-6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil see note
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Heat oven to 325°F. Add whole almonds to an ungreased sheet pan and roast for 10-12 minutes, or until they've turned a slightly deeper golden-brown and have become fragrant. Immediately transfer them to a plate or bowl to cool.
    • Drain the sun-dried tomatoes and pour the oil from the jar through a strainer into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough olive oil to amount to the ⅔ cup line.
    • Add roasted almonds, drained sun-dried tomatoes, basil, Pecorino, garlic, balsamic vinegar, paprika, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor (minimum 7-cup capacity). Process until everything is in small bits, stopping to carefully scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
    • With the motor running, drizzle oil through the pour spout and process until smooth. Add a little extra oil if you'd like a thinner consistency.

    Notes

    Oil: Sun-dried tomatoes are jarred in olive oil, which is infused with delicious flavor. Drain the jar oil into a measuring cup (I've gotten anywhere between 4 - 6 Tablespoons) and add enough additional olive oil to get up to the two-thirds cup line. The amount you'll need will vary.
    Yield: This recipe yields roughly 15 ounces of prepared pesto rosso, enough to generously coat one pound of pasta.
    Serving Suggestions: Beyond pasta sauce, this sun-dried tomato pesto is great to spread on a sandwich, dollop over eggs, in soup, or on pizza, spread on salmon before baking, and more.
    Freezing Instructions: Add pesto to a zip-top freezer bag, flatten and press out all excess air, and seal. Freeze for 3-4 months, thawing in refrigerator before use.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 23.9g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 1.3g | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer

    Note: This recipe was updated in March 2023 from its original publish date in November 2016. Initially this recipe included artichoke hearts, but I tweaked the recipe to be a more basic version of sun-dried tomato pesto. I also increased the yield.

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    Comments

    1. Telina says

      December 15, 2017 at 4:16 pm

      Could I use my Ninja blender? I have to get a new blade for my food processor.

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        December 15, 2017 at 11:16 pm

        Hi Telina, I haven't tried it but I think that could work. You may need to scrape down the sides more often to ensure the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes get in there, but it should do the trick. Let me know if you give it a try! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Ms. Catherine Melba Alston Hardy says

      November 17, 2016 at 6:28 pm

      I like

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        November 17, 2016 at 7:31 pm

        Thank you so much, Catherine! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kelly says

      November 09, 2016 at 6:31 am

      I love sun-dried tomatoes and go through phases too. Such a great idea to add it to pesto with artichokes! It looks and sounds absolutely amazing!!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        November 09, 2016 at 8:43 pm

        Thanks Kelly!

        Reply
    4. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

      November 09, 2016 at 5:13 am

      Aren't sun-dried tomatoes the best?! I usually forget about them, and I have no idea why! And pesto is the name of my game, so this sauce looks AMAZING! I have no doubt that I would use it on just about everything. Such a great combo, Alyssa!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        November 09, 2016 at 8:43 pm

        I'm so obsessed...I've had them at least once daily for some time now! Thanks Gayle!

        Reply
    5. Michelle | A Latte Food says

      November 08, 2016 at 12:07 pm

      Well this sounds amazing! I haven't had sun-dried tomatoes in forever (apparently I've been on a hiatus too, lol), but I'm thinking that's going to change soon after seeing this!

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        November 08, 2016 at 9:39 pm

        Haha glad to hear I'm not alone! Thanks Michelle!

        Reply
    6. Ashley@CookNourishBliss says

      November 08, 2016 at 9:09 am

      haha I go thru phases with sun-dried tomatoes! I've always really enjoyed them but I tend to just forget about them! This pesto sounds so so flavorful!

      Reply
    7. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      November 08, 2016 at 7:53 am

      This sounds killer!!! I love the smokiness of sundried tomatoes and the artichokes...that's such a great addition!

      Reply

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