Nothing screams Italy like a delicious homemade sundried tomato pesto. It’s one of my favourite toppings for pasta, possibly even my favourite when it’s made properly. It’s a fantastic vegetarian option, that just works well with anything you combine it with, whether it be pasta, vegetables, salads or bread. Get ready to experience the sweet intense flavours of the sundried tomatoes with the subtle flavours of the pine nuts, Parmesan and basil. I love this combination, but the beauty of this recipe lies in the fact that you can tweak it to your liking. In addition, if you omit the cheese element, you can create a delicious vegan pesto as well. What a way to celebrate Veganuary! How will you enjoy this delicious pesto?
Sundried tomato pesto
For those who are unfamiliar what pesto is, traditionally it is a sauce made up of crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The olive oil brings everything together. This is the traditional modern version of pesto called ‘Pesto alla Genovese’. Its origins are in Northern Italy in Genoa, the Liguaria region. Apart the from colour and the sweetness given by the tomatoes, the sundried tomato pesto is not so dissimilar from the traditional pesto.
History of pesto
Historians theorise that pesto goes as far back to the Ancient Roman times. The Ancient Romans used a very similar paste in their cuisune – ‘moretum’. The original recipe calls for crushed garlic, cheese, herbs, olive oil and vinegar. As you can see, it’s extremely similar to our modern version of pesto.
Also, did you know that during the Middle Ages a similar paste was given to seafarers and Ligurians? The version of pesto was called ‘agliata‘, which comprised mashed garlic and walnuts. Of course, over time there have been many variations of pesto. Luckily, the combination of using sundried tomatoes was introduced and sundried tomato pesto came into existence. Today, it’s one of the most common Italian pesto recipes that you can easily buy in supermarkets.
Do it yourself – how to make sundried tomatoes
By now you know that I am an advocate for doing everything from scratch! You can make your very own sundried tomatoes using your oven. However, you will need to do this on a free day when you are home and you can monitor what’s happening in the oven. Usually, the process of making sundried tomatoes in the oven can take hours! You can also use a dehydrator.
First, you will need to preheat the oven to roughly 95°C (200°F). The lower heat will allow the tomato to transform beautifully without losing any of the essential flavour. Once you have selected your tomatoes, cut them in half and squeeze out the seeds. Here is a handy trick. Fire roast the tomatoes first before you place them in the oven. The char will intensify the flavours even more.
Next place them on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet. Don’t forget to season generously with salt. Place the tray in the oven and wait until the tomatoes start to resemble the traditional look of sundried tomatoes. The tomato halves should shrink in size and take on the typical leathery texture. Just be patient, this is a lengthy process and can take hours and hours. Good and delicious things come to those who wait.
The best type of tomatoes for making sundried pesto from scratch are the Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are medium-sized and oval in terms of shape. They have a low water content and contain only a small amount of seeds – perfect for sauce making. These are also the type of tomatoes you should use in quiches or sandwiches, as the latter won’t make everything runny or soggy.
Sundried tomatoes
If you aren’t too keen on making your own sundried tomatoes, you can simply buy a jar in your local supermarket. For the sundried tomato pesto having the best texture possible, soak the sundried tomatoes in warm water for five minutes. They will become more tender and should blend more easily.
Variations and versatility
You can vary the amount of garlic, pine nuts, basil and Parmesan cheese to your liking. To make this sundried tomato pesto vegan, simply omit the cheese and add more pine nuts for texture. Moreover, you can have your own take on this pesto and add vinegar for some acidity, red wine or even fresh tomatoes. If you add more fresh tomatoes, you will lose the desired pesto consistency. The pesto will become a salsa or a dip.
You can inspire yourself with these pesto recipes I’ve made in the past:
Traditional serving
What I love about sundried tomato pesto, or any type of pesto for that matter, is that it’s so versatile. You can serve it with almost anything – it doesn’t necessarily have to be a pasta dish. Although, if you want to have a lazy day in the kitchen, combining pesto with pasta is the fastest and easiest thing on the planet. It works with any type of pasta. My children enjoy it with spaghetti, tagliatelle, fusilli or penne. Whenever I serve this sundried tomato pesto with pasta, I like to sprinkle some extra pine nuts on top and garnish with fresh basil. Voila – it’s a lazy, fancy dish! No serious hassle required and it tastes amazing.
More creative serving ideas
However, coming back to my original comment about versatility, it works well in salads too. For example, I can imagine it working very well with this butter bean salad recipe. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity to keep your meal gluten-free. If you are looking for something more filling, why not make pesto stuffed bread – similar to garlic bread? Slice the bread open and fill the gaps with the sundried tomato pesto.
You might think I am crazy, but if you’ve got leftovers, why don’t you try mixing a bit of the pesto with Greek feta cheese? It would be similar to the Greek recipe – htipiti, where the recipe calls for a pepper paste.
How would you use sundried tomato pesto?
Print
Sundried Tomato Pesto
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 250ml (1 cup) sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 80ml (⅓ cup) pine nuts
- 80ml (⅓ cup) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 80ml (⅓ cup) basil, washed
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 80ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for a week in the fridge. Keeps in the freezer for 2 months.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.3 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
save the recipe to your pinterest board
A special thanks to Kelly Reeve for assisting with the recipe shoot.
laura banks
chilli con carne
michelle
nice
Tracy Nixon
Lasagne. though I also love roasted Mediterranean veg and always add lots of cherry tomatoes
★★★★★
michelle
nice combination
Tracey Peach
spaghetti bolognese yum!
michelle
yum indeed
iain maciver
in a lasagne jut love it
michelle
me too. So do my kids 🙂
Ritchie Dee
Penne all’arrabbiata
michelle
yummy
Keith Hunt
Grilled Chicken and Tomato Salad
michelle
sounds delicious
Katherine Lucas
I love making homemade enchiladas sauce with fresh tomatoes
michelle
I love enchiladas 🙂
Solange
Tomato & chickpea curry.
michelle
great idea
Sadiyya maryam
My mum’s spicy kofta curry in a rich tomato sauce, just delicious!
michelle
nice combination!
Lisa Day
Baked Tuna and tomato cheesey pasta bake is lovely
michelle
indeed 🙂
john prendergast
fresh tomato soup
michelle
nice idea!
Laura S
I love a good summer salsa with all of the fresh produce, superb!
michelle
agreed 🙂
Mark Mccaffery
A tasty lasagne
michelle
clever
Margaret Gallagher
Homemade tomato soup theres no taste quite like it
michelle
100% agreed !
Margaret Clarkson
Love tomatoes in a pasta sauce, with plenty of basil and oregano.
michelle
classic yet amazing 🙂
CHRISTINE TURNILL
Mozzarella, tomato and basil salad. Clean and fresh tasting.
michelle
agreed 🙂
Laura Pritchard
Tomato soup with crusty bread!
★★★★
michelle
🙂 then you will love this recipe 🙂
pete c
already subscribed. looks lovely!
michelle
Great 🙂 Thanks Pete
jo liddement
My favourite tomato recipe is my own home made tomato pasta sauce i make every year from the glut tomatoes and basil that i grow.
michelle
That sounds incredible Jo!
Isabell Whitenstall
I love homemade tomato soup
michelle
same here 🙂
Graham Ross
Tomato soup
michelle
same
Carole Nott
love a rich tomato based lasagne
michelle
me too
Keely Faircloth-Wood
Im defiantly going to try this!
★★★★★
michelle
best of luck Keely 🙂
Daniel Marchant
Very tasty …..
michelle
agreed 🙂
Daniel Marchant
I would go chilli
michelle
nice
laura stewart
meatballs in tomato and basil sauce x
michelle
Nice!
Claire Woods
tomato & cheese pasta bake
michelle
you are making me hungry!
Suzanne
Homemade tomato soup with croutons.
michelle
classic 🙂 and delicious
ElizM
The tomato essence that I was taught on a course at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir. Absolutely fantastic!
michelle
that sounds amazing. Would love to know the recipe
Sarah Mccaffery
Penne arrabiatta
michelle
yummy
Gayatri Gogoi
I love roasted tomato and garlic soup
michelle
me too. Especially with lots of garlic 🙂
DAWN WINSKILL
As a base for homemade french bread pizza
michelle
sounds good
AUSTIN MEESON
RAGU, PREPARED IN A FRYING PAN, TO ADD TO PASTA
michelle
sounds good Austin 🙂
Rosie Boundy
Meatballs in a delicious red onion, tomato and basil sauce. Yummy!
michelle
yummy indeed
Louisa
I would use this pesto mixed through linguine.
I love using tomato’s in a spicy salsa.
michelle
nice idea
Gill Barwood
Pasta al Cavolfiore- a delicious vegetarian pasta dish with a sauce made with tomato puree, cauliflower and garlic. believe me it tastes better than it sounds
michelle
sounds really good! I am going to research it now
Zoe
tomato soup – very simple lunch for winter weather
michelle
agreed
Sheena Batey
Chicken cacciatore
michelle
nice. I will have an upcoming post on this recipe. Keep a look out 🙂
Harriet
Tomato and basil soup.
michelle
classic and delicious
Margaret Mccaffery
The tried and trusted lasagne.
michelle
nice 🙂
Katy Hacket
Spaghetti Bolognese
michelle
nom, a family favourite
Shan G
Bolognese sauce…mmmm…yum.
michelle
yuuuum indeeeed
Mary H
I love a good caprese salad using home grown ingredients. Yum. The pesto sounds lovely but parmesan cheese isn’t vegetarian so I’d have to omit that.
michelle
My suggestion is to add more pine nuts in this case to ensure the pesto’s consistency 🙂
Alan Critchlow
Tomato salsa salad
michelle
sounds refreshing
Donna Nervig
On pasta with a good sprinkle of parmasen on top and a hand full of rocket. Simple, easy and makes a delicious side salad!
michelle
lovely
Ruth Harwood
Spagetti Bolognaise x
★★★★★
michelle
nice
Ruth Harwood
love a good Spaghetti Bolognaise x
★★★★★
michelle
nice
michelle o'neill
Spaghetti Bolognaise my grandaughter fave x
michelle
Nice :))
Natalie Charman
Tomato soup
michelle
clever
Emilia Nastaly-Howard
Pasta with mediterrenian sauce 🙂
michelle
sounds lovely
Charmaine Dance
Spagetti Bolognaise
michelle
nice 🙂
Samantha R
I love spicy tomato baked eggs – yummy 🙂
michelle
sounds very interesting. I’d love to see the recipe 🙂
Steve Dickinson
Tomato soup
michelle
nice
Simone Griffin
Lasagne x
michelle
nice
David Banner
The tomato topping on Asda pizza
michelle
how creative!
Angeline Gregory
Thanks for the opportunity to win this great prize. It would come in so handy 🙂
michelle
you are welcome 🙂
Susan Ocock
Tomato and basil soup
Andy Davison
Great competition!
michelle
thanks Andy!
Sam Flynn
Sea Bream with Cherry Tomatoes and Lemon and Basil. Delicious!
michelle
sounds delicious
Laura Harrison
Spaghetti Bolognese with Quorn mince xx
michelle
yum
Robert Noble
I’d use it in a Shakshuka.
Jessi
Tomato and basil pasta ?
michelle
sounds delish!
Deirdre M
This post has given me such a wonderful idea! I love to make a Duck Ragu with Pappardelle , and I will add this tomato pesto to it next time to add even greater depth of flavour!
michelle
🙂 great! So happy when my food inspires
Allan Wilson
Spicy tomato soup
michelle
nice!
Tristan
My favourite tomato recipe is just tomato and mozzarella bagels. So simple, but with good tomatoes from the greengrocer, it’s so good.
★★★★★
michelle
🙂 sounds good
Kev Cannon
We grow loads of tomatoes in the summer and I use them to make pasta sauce and curry sauces
nicky pearce
Tomato and basil pasta
michelle
a fantastic classic. yum
dana
ratatouille
michelle
haven’t had this in ages!
Karen Watt
Tomatoes Avocado mozarella cheese fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil
michelle
lovely combination!
sheri Darby
Home made tomato soup
michelle
the best!
Steven K
Putanesca
michelle
yummy
Joanna Ford
Chilli con carne`
michelle
I’d love some right now 🙂
Jill Ashton
Penne Arribiata
michelle
nice
Angela Macdonald
I love bruschetta with lots of chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil
michelle
me too 🙂
Rai
I’m really not a huge fan of tomatos but occasionally I crave a thinly sliced tomato and black pepper sarnie.
michelle
nice one
janine atkin
just a simple tomato and basil soup
michelle
yum
Sarah Austin
Tomato and mascarpone soup!
michelle
oooo, mascarpone <3
AnnaS
Home made tomato soup with basil.Delicious.
michelle
seems to be the popular one here 🙂
SUSAN L HALL
I use Tomatoes a lot my favourite recipe is a Spanish Chicken
michelle
oooh, sounds interesting. What is it exactly?
Kim Lam
The Sundried Tomato Pesto is my favourite
michelle
:)))) Yey
Carolyn E
I like chicken cacciatore using fresh tomatoes. For green t9,stokes m6 favourite is a simple Indian dish, but i don’t have the official name, ….8n our house we call it green tomato curry
michelle
keep a lookout for my chicken cacciatore recipe. I have one coming up 🙂
Romilly Snowden
Soup !
michelle
nice
Victoria Prince
I just love a simple tomato sauce mixed into tagliatelle!
michelle
clever
Rachel White
I add pesto & salami into my lasagne layers. .. yumm!
★★★★★
michelle
nice!
Gillian Ross
I love making sun dried tomato bread ?
michelle
ooooh,you should check out my pesto stuffed bread!
Marie Rule
A really tomato based spaghetti bolognese is my favourite recipe with tomatoes. I use both passata and sun dried tomatoes.
michelle
I just had this today 🙂
Lucy
I like a jambalaya with a lot of tomato in and lots of other veg 🙂
michelle
sounds lovely
Richard Eldred Hawes
Roasted tomato soup with basil and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese
michelle
I am dying to have one of these now!
Rebecca Howells (@Regrash7)
looks delicious!
michelle
thanks 🙂
Adrian Bold
A nice Lasagne
michelle
yum
Gemma Cook
Tomato and Basil Soup
michelle
nice
Spencer Wright
Chutney. And it lasts ages too ?
michelle
CLEVER!!
Miss Tracy Hanson
Mozzarella chicken in tomato cream sauce. and homemade tomato soup with basil pesto.
michelle
Sounds like my kind of meal
Lyndsey Shingler
I love making homemade ketchup with different flavour additions – my smokey chipotle ketchup was a particular success.
michelle
nom… i’d love to try it
michelle
nom… I ‘d love to try it!
kim d
fresh grilled with sprinkling of oregano and a little grated cheese, delicious with toast for breakfast
michelle
Sounds delicious. I agree
champaklal lad
chicken and pasta with tomatoe
michelle
classic 🙂
jacqui rushton
I love roasted tomato salsa!
michelle
same here
alice
A good tomato and meat sauce with penne pasta
michelle
a classic 🙂
Dale Dow
I love a lot of tomato in my spaghetti bolognase, I use 3 kinds!
michelle
really? which ones?
Giuliana Britti
I warming tomato soup
michelle
🙂
Louise Whittaker
I love Mexican bean soup
michelle
ooo nice. have you ever tried eating with nachos too? I love that combo
Louise Whittaker
Subscribed 🙂 looks great
michelle
thanks Louise. Welcome and I hope you enjoy the recipes
Catherine Macnab
I love a Lasagne
michelle
same here
Aidan
slow cooked chilli
michelle
oooo very nice
Liv Lee
Enchiladas
michelle
nice
Jessica Barber
Balsamic roasted tomatoes on sourdough toast!
michelle
sounds interesting. I’d love to taste this one day
Michelle Ferguson
Tomato and chilli soup is my favourite
michelle
nice. thanks for sharing Michelle 🙂
Carol Phile
Aubergine parmigiana
michelle
if you like aubergines, you should check out my masala grilled aubergine… you’ll love it
Julie Camm
I’d use it in a pasta dish
michelle
clever !
Natalie Crossan
Low carbohydrate cream of tomato soup 🙂 xx
michelle
sounds lovely