Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta | Vegan

Looking for a quick and easy way to add some flavor to your meals? This sun-dried tomato pesto sauce is the perfect solution! It only takes a few minutes to prepare. It's vegan and can be easily made gluten-free friendly.

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This sun-dried tomato pesto sauce is the perfect weeknight meal. It takes only 15 minutes to make, and it's super delicious. We will show you how to make this tasty pesto sauce with just a few simple ingredients.

It is common to make pasta recipes with sun-dried tomatoes here in Italy, such as ravioli fillings and sun-dried tomatoes risottos.

Although tomatoes are not native to Italy but Mexico and Central America, they grow very well on Italian soil. The production is vast, and it is widespread to see tomatoes year-round and find all different kinds of sun-dried tomatoes at the farmer's market.

We like to use the sweeter kinds, but there are many varieties. If you love tomatoes, you can really go crazy with all the different types you can find.

This vegan pesto rosso recipe, as they call it here, makes the perfect hassle-free pasta.

This is a vegan version as it doesn't use regular parmesan cheese but nutritional yeast instead.

We love pesto, as they are such as flavorful preparation that is perfect for elevating any bland meal. They are at the top of our vegan sauces choices!

We have previously shared our different pesto varieties, as we love veganizing all kinds of traditional pesto recipes we find around here.

Be sure to check our 5-minute pesto (vegan basil pesto), kale pesto, arugula pesto, mint pesto, pistachio pesto, and our carrot tops pesto, along with a vast list of pesto recipes, including sandwiches, pizza sauce, stuffed shells, pasta salads, and even vegan poke bowls.

What is sun dried tomato pesto?

The sun-dried tomato is a type of tomato prepared by leaving whole tomatoes out in the sun until they have lost most of their water content.

Originating in Southern Italy, sun-dried tomatoes were traditionally made in the regions of Apulia and Calabria (source).

We love using them in lentil salads and as the main ingredient for stuffed portobello mushrooms.

The sun-drying process concentrates the flavors of the tomatoes, making them more intense and sweet.

The sun-dried tomato pesto combines the delicious concentrated flavor of tomatoes, with olive oil, nuts, garlic cheese, and basil.

Ingredients

• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Fresh basil leaves
• Nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan cheese
• Pine nuts, or hulled roasted almonds
• Garlic cloves
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Optional: red pepper flakes, plus your favorite pasta.

How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

To make sun-dried tomato pesto, you just need to follow one step. You don't even have to wash any produce.

This is why we love pesto so much. You just need to get your food processor, high-speed blender, or immersion blender; through everything on it and blend until you reach a spreadable consistency.

If you like more of a chunky red pesto, you can pulse instead until you reach the desired consistency.

If you plan on having pasta with it, start by setting the water to boil.

Then make your pesto rosso as the pasta cooks. Your pesto sauce will be ready before your pasta does... how cool is that?

Cook your pasta until it is al dente, and drain it, reserving some of the pasta cooking water. It will come in handy next.

Using the same saucepan, scoop in some of the sun-dried tomato pesto, add the pasta on top and mix with your kitchen tongs. Add some cooking water to dissolve the pesto, and make your pasta super creamy.

The pasta water has some starch on it, making the pasta creamier. That's the trick! That way you need to add extra olive oil or calories!

How to serve

If you like your pasta spicy, add some extra chili flakes on top, along with fresh basil and vegan parmesan cheese.

We like adding fresh cherry tomatoes on top and chunks of un-blended sun-dried tomatoes.

If you want your weeknight dinners to look extra fancy, sprinkle some extra pine nuts on top.

You can also use your sun-dried tomato pesto spread on sandwiches, salads, and as a base for other preparations.

We also use this sun-dried tomato pesto with our vegan ricotta cheese to make the perfect homemade ravioli filling.

Pasta salad

If you are having this fabulous recipe as a springtime or summertime dish, or even for a picnic, you can have it as a cold pasta salad. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before eating, so the flavor can shine.

Cold pasta tends to hold up the flavor, and you may feel you need more salt or olive oil, but in reality, just a few minutes it unleashes all of its flavors.

Which pasta to use

Any kind of pasta works. We love using bucatini, which is the one you see in the pictures.

Bucatini is a type of pasta that is long and thin, and it looks like tubes. In general, you can use on any recipe that calls for spaghetti. That's because the pasta is hollow, which means it is extruded through a machine instead of being rolled.

They are thicker and sort of bite you back.

We also like using fusilli, as it goes very well with pesto, as the sauce gets all inside the swirls of the pasta. Tie bow pasta, is also a great choice.

Variations

Lemons

Pesto sauce is usually made with lemon juice, but we skipped it for this recipe because sundried tomatoes are both sweet and sour. Feel free to stir in some lemon juice if you use the sweeter kind.

Salt

We don't use any salt either because sundried tomatoes are salty. Feel free to adjust with kosher salt.

Pine nuts

Any nuts will work for this recipe. We decided to use pine nuts to be closer to the traditional pesto rosso, but you can use almonds and walnuts interchangeably.

Storing

After blending the sun-dried tomatoes pesto in your food processor, you can store any leftovers using an airtight container and keeping it in the fridge.

Cover it with extra virgin olive oil if you plan to leave it for an extended period. This will help to keep it for longer and keep its vibrant color. Make sure the pesto surface is covered with oil.

Freezer

If you want to keep your delicious pesto for longer, simply store it in the freezer using an ice cube tray, and then use the portions as needed.

Blending tip

If you are making a small quantity, and you happen to have an immersion blender, I recommend you to use it, as it will facilitate the cleaning.

Use a blender or food processor if making a larger batch.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

Recipe

Food safety

We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

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