Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This ultra creamy sun-dried tomato pesto will be your new favorite ingredient! It comes together in less than 10 minutes and tastes delicious on absolutely everything, from sandwiches to pasta to grilled chicken.

One of the biggest shifts we’ve made in our cooking over the past few years is cutting back on processed foods and making more ingredients from scratch (something we talk more about on our about page). And homemade pesto has easily become one of our favorites.

It started with our nut-free basil pesto inspired by a small-batch version from Paso Robles – fresh, flavorful, and not at all oily like the store-bought options – and we’ve been hooked ever since!

But this year, our basil plants are struggling (thanks, Vermont spring), so we’re pivoting to a new obsession: sun-dried tomato pesto. It’s rich, tangy, and ultra creamy thanks to olive oil and parmesan – plus it comes together in just a few minutes. We’re spreading it on everything this summer, from Alex’s homemade bread to sandwiches and pizza.

What This Recipe Entails

Making sun dried tomato pesto is as easy as pulling out your food processor, dumping the ingredients in, and pulsing to combine. In just a few minutes, you can snack on this delicious spread with your favorite crackers or homemade bread, or use it on a sandwich!

• Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes

Ingredients

• Sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil – We like to use jarred sun dried tomatoes in oil for pesto, since that easily takes care of the olive oil component in pesto! We typically buy julienne cut so that it’s easier for our food processor to pulverize them. 
• Toasted almonds – Almonds are a more affordable alternative to pine nuts for making pesto at home. We buy raw almond slivers at the grocery store and simply toast them in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil over medium heat until they’re golden brown (make sure to shake them frequently to prevent burning). Alternatively, you can use pine nuts, toasted cashews, or even plain breadcrumbs for a nut-free option!
• Fresh basil – There’s no better combo than sun dried tomatoes and basil, so we like to add a bit of basil to this pesto. It adds some freshness to counteract the potent flavor of sun dried tomatoes.
• Parmesan cheese – We always recommend using freshly grated parmesan, but you can use the stuff that comes in a bottle for an easy shortcut if you prefer. It won’t make a huge difference here.
• Garlic and salt – Two necessary ingredients to bring out the flavors in this pesto! We like to use minced garlic and sea salt.
• Cold water – This will help you adjust the texture of your pesto. Make sure to use filtered water if your tap water isn’t great.

How To Make Sundried Tomato Pesto

Grab your food processor, and you can make this pesto in about 5 minutes:

1. Combine – First, add the jar of sun dried tomatoes (including the oil), toasted almonds, fresh basil, parmesan, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a large food processor. Add about half of the water, then pulse a few times to pulverize the ingredients.
2. Process – Continue processing and adding more water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the pesto becomes smooth and creamy. You may need a bit more or less water than the recipe calls for. This will depend on exactly how much basil you used, and if you swap out almonds for any other nuts or breadcrumbs, but shouldn’t vary by more than a few tablespoons.
3. Adjust – Finally, adjust the salt to taste and serve, or store for later (see Storing section below for details).

Serving Suggestions

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy pesto! Here are some of our favorites:

• With crackers or bread – Spread sundried tomato pesto on sea salt crackers or freshly baked bread for a simple yet flavorful snack. We always love this as an easy afternoon treat!
• With cheese – Sun dried tomato pesto pairs beautifully with plain goat cheese! We like to add this pesto to our charcuterie boards in the summer for an added punch of flavor.
• On a sandwich – Who doesn’t love pesto on sandwiches? We like to use a generous spread of this pesto on a caprese sandwich, or pair it with grilled chicken, spinach, and fresh mozzarella for a gorgeous summer lunch. Check out our grilled chicken sandwich with sun-dried tomato pesto, mozzarella, and spinach for a recipe!
• On pizza – We haven’t tried it with this pesto yet, but we love swapping tomato sauce for pesto on a pizza! Try using this as a base with fresh toppings like mozzarella, basil, and fresh veggies for a garden-inspired summer dinner.
• With pasta – Pesto is one of our favorite easy pasta sauces. Toss your favorite noodles with this for a delicious no-frills dinner!
• With chicken – Use this pesto for any of your favorite sun dried tomato pesto chicken recipes, whether it’s a simple chicken breast with a side of risotto, or a more involved pasta recipe like this one.

Storing

• Fridge – Store pesto in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. We like to store ours in a mason jar.
• Freezer – You can freeze pesto for about 3 to 4 months! Store it in a freezer safe container or portion out servings into Souper Cubes, then defrost overnight in the fridge before you want to use it.

Love this recipe? You may enjoy these other homemade ingredients, too:

• Pesto Without Nuts
• Sun Dried Tomato Basil Cream Cheese
• Taco Seasoning Recipe
• Easy Pizza Sauce
• Mexican Verde Sauce