This Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Pesto Rosso) is made with sweet sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

This savory condiment is nut-free and can be made vegan if you omit the cheese. It’s delicious tossed with pasta, spread on a sandwich, drizzled in soup, or swirled in homemade hummus.

My mom gave me a big jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes from Costco. I love sun-dried tomatoes and was trying to think of a new way to use them. I also had some fresh basil left in my garden that I wanted to use before the summer season came to an end.

That’s when this pesto rosso was born! It’s easy to make and you can store it in the freezer to enjoy all winter long. This pesto is a nice change from my go-to arugula pesto recipe.

Table of Contents

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Ingredients (Pesto Rosso)

Sun-dried tomatoes: I use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for this recipe. They are already hydrated because they are packed in oil. They’re plump and ready to eat.

Basil: I use fresh basil leaves for this recipe because it gives the pesto good flavor. Basil is a classic ingredient in pesto. You can substitute with baby arugula or baby spinach if desired.

Garlic: I usually just use one garlic clove in this recipe, but you can use two if you like a stronger garlic flavor.

Pepitas: To keep this recipe nut-free, I use roasted salted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds). If you don’t have pepitas, you can use roasted salted sunflower seeds instead.

If you prefer to use nuts, you can use toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or pistachios.

Extra virgin olive oil: This adds richness to the pesto. I recommend using the best extra virgin olive oil you can afford since there are minimal ingredients in this recipe.

Lemon juice: Traditional pesto doesn’t contain lemon juice, but I like adding it to this recipe because it gives this pesto a bright and fresh flavor.

Parmigiano-Reggiano: This has a slightly sweet and salty flavor. It goes beautifully in this pesto recipe.

How to make sun-dried tomato pesto (pesto rosso)

In a food processor, add the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, and pepitas.

Process the mixture while drizzling in the extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Add the parmesan cheese and lemon juice and pulse 2 to 4 times to combine. Or you can gently stir in the cheese and lemon juice until combined.

Taste and adjust with more lemon juice, salt, or olive oil as needed. Use as desired.

How does pesto rosso differ from regular pesto?

Pesto rosso uses sun-dried tomatoes while regular pesto uses basil to make the classic green basil pesto.

You can also make pesto rosso with fresh tomatoes, known as Pesto alla Trapanese, which is a Sicilian variety of pesto.

How long does homemade pesto rosso last?

To store: Leftover pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To freeze: You can freeze pesto for up to 6 months. Add it to a freezer-safe bag or freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop out the ice cubes and store in a freezer-safe bag.

Let the pesto thaw in the fridge overnight, then use as desired.

What to use pesto rosso for?

The most popular way to eat this sun-dried tomato pesto is to toss it with pasta. Below are some more tasty ways to enjoy this pesto.

Spread it on a sandwich or crusty bread (it’s great in a grilled cheese)
Top it on pizza
Top it on grilled chicken or fish
Add it to stews and soups
Top it on macaroni and cheese (it’s delicious!)
Mix it into roasted vegetables
Mix it into salad dressing

How to cook sun-dried tomato pesto with pasta

Cook your favorite pasta noodle to al dente according to the package instructions. About 1 minute before the pasta is done cooking, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Toss the cooked pasta with the pesto, adding a little of the reserved pasta cooking water until your desired consistency is reached. I use about ½ cup of reserved pasta water for 1 pound of penne.

Please let me know how you like this Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this pesto as much as I do.