5 Minute Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe

For a recipe that only uses 6 ingredients, this vegan sun-dried tomato pesto recipe really takes you to flavor-town (Guy Fieri voice)! Different from traditional pesto, this bright red condiment known as ‘pesto rosso‘ is chunkier, with more flavor and less drip. It can easily be served as a dip with crackers, as a sauce for pasta, or even as the base of a pesto inspired bruschetta!

It’s vibrant, hearty and absolutely LOADED with bright and strong flavor! And it only takes 5 minutes to make. Can you say EASY?

What Is Pesto Rosso?

Pesto Rosso translates to ‘red pesto’. It is a Scicilian variation of a traditional pesto without basil or pine nuts.

As with most recipes, the ingredients and cooking technique will vary according to country and region. Even different families will have different variations of this recipe! But typically with pesto rosso, you will find sun-dried tomatoes and almonds blended together with oil and vinegar.

In this sun-dried tomato pesto recipe, we use a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, oil, salt, toasted almonds, a little sugar and garlic cloves. You probably have all of the ingredients on hand, and it truly only takes 5 minutes, if that!

How To Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Recipe:

This is such an easy pesto recipe you guys. There is NOTHING better than a delicious recipe that consists of tossing all of the ingredients in a blender and processing!

MAKE SURE YOU SCROLL DOWN TO THE RECIPE CARD FOR FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. Toast the nuts. This is actually very important to develop the earthy, smooth flavor of the nuts.
2. Place all of the ingredients, including the infused oil that the sun-dried tomatoes are in and the balsamic vinegar, into the food processor or blender, and process until it is the consistency you desire.
3. THAT’S IT! I know, it took you all of 5 minutes to make this delicious homemade pesto recipe!

Other Ingredients You Can Add

Sun-dried tomato pesto recipes vary, and there are a few other ingredients that you may decide to add to this recipe!

• Parmesan Cheese – Although this is a pesto without cheese, a lot of people love to add cheese to pesto, and I don’t blame them! Cheesy pesto is very delicious, and goes great with pasta. If you go this route, opt for the real stuff and not the powdered, un-refrigerated kind.
• Nutritional Yeast – If you are vegan, but still want that cheesy pesto flavor that Parmesan cheese would otherwise provide, try using about 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast!
• Basil – Feel free to add a few fresh basil leaves if you love that flavor, but I wouldn’t go overboard. The sun-dried tomatoes have a strong flavor, and you don’t want the basil to overpower it.
• Black Pepper – While frequently overlooked, fresh cracked black pepper is actually a great pesto additive! It can add a sharper bite, with the heat from the piperine complimenting the sharp tangy bite of the sun-dried tomatoes. You can also try red pepper flakes for spicy pesto!
• Lemon Juice – For some extra vitamin C and a bit more bite! Don’t go overboard, a tsp or two should be fine.

When To Serve Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto:

• With Any Pasta – This red pesto tastes absolutely AMAZING tossed with pasta. Sun-dried tomato pesto pasta salad is the perfect year round dish, because it can be served hot OR cold.

• Meal Prep Make Ahead Condiment – Make it ahead of time and watch your friends and family BEG you for the recipe. They will never believe you when you tell them that it only took you 5 MINUTES to make!

• Last Minute Appetizer – It also makes a wonderful last minute appetizer idea, because you likely have all of the ingredients sitting in your pantry. Serve it as a sun-dried tomato pesto dip with veggies or chips.

• Proposal Pesto – It’s not called ‘proposal pesto’ for nothing! Serve this to your significant other and watch them fall in love with you all over again. 😉

What To Serve With Pesto?

I always like to toss it with some fresh cooked pasta, because I’m a big carb lover. But there are a ton of other easy dinner options for this pesto that should not be overlooked!

• Chickpea Salad
• Tuna or Chicken Salad – just add a little mayonnaise!
• Green Salads – like arugula or spinach
• Served as a bruschetta or cracker dip
• Slow Cooked With Chicken Breasts– check out my recipe here!
• Flatbread Sauce
• As A Sandwich Spread – chicken Parmesan sandwich or Italian would be great!

Is Pesto Mediterranean Diet Friendly?

It’s more than friendly, it’s encouraged!

Pesto is a fantastic way to incorporate raw extra-virgin olive oil AND nuts in one meal! Both of which have been studied for their ability to prevent a variety of diseases.

• In one study with a median follow up of 4 years, people with high cardiovascular risk on a MedDiet supplemented with nuts or extra virgin olive oil demonstrated an inverse association with diabetes incidence by 52% in comparison to the control group. Read the journal article HERE.

• Can Mediterranean diet reverse heart disease? In a study of nearly 26,000 women at high cardiovascular risk, the incidence of major cardiovascular events was lower among those assigned to a MedDiet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts than among those assigned to a reduced-fat diet. Read the journal article HERE.

So in a nut shell (pun intended), this recipe is very much Mediterranean diet friendly. If you want to make it even healthier, omit the salt entirely, or use a pinch of salt. If you want to learn more about the Mediterranean diet, I have a great article here, titled ‘What Is The Mediterranean Diet? Foods List, Evidence Based Research“

If you are looking for a good wooden serving bowl like mine, go check out this Acacia Wooden Salad Bowl Set 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use a different nut other than almonds?	Definitely! Walnuts and pine nuts are a popular pesto nut as well. I chose almonds because I always have a big tub of them in my pantry, and they are very affordable. Whatever nut you choose, make sure you toast it accordingly.
Should I discard the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes?	NO! When purchasing your sun-dried tomatoes, make sure that they are in oil, as this oil is bursting with delicious flavor. When adding the ingredients to your blender or food processor, make sure to empty the jar of oil in as well. This helps to reduce waste, and the infused oil will drastically elevate the flavor of this pesto.
What Do I Do If I Have Dry-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes	If you have dry sun-dried tomatoes, reconstitute them in water! Check out this article from Cooks Illustrated – The Best Way To Rehydrate Sun-Dried Tomatoes. And if you do so, just make sure to add an equal amount of extra virgin olive oil to the pesto!
How long is homemade pesto good for?	This homemade sun-dried tomato pesto recipe can be stored in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The oils may solidify in the cold temperatures, so bring it to room temperature before serving!

Can You Freeze Homemade Pesto?

You can absolutely freeze leftover pesto, and here’s how!

• Divide the delicious pesto up into ice cube trays and let it freeze completely. Pop them out and store them in a ziplock bag or silicone freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. When you are ready to use, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or toss them in a medium heat pan.

Did you make this recipe? Rate it below and tag me in your creation on Instagram! @RecipeHippie

Did you like my ‘Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto’ recipe?! If so, go check out my ‘Shiitake Mushroom Pasta With Lemon Butter Garlic Sauce And Honey Yogurt recipe!