This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This sun-dried tomato pesto is a tasty dip or spread! Made with just 6 ingredients, this easy recipe is bursting with flavor.
Here’s a delicious dip idea that doubles as a sandwich spread: sun-dried tomato pesto! It’s bursting with zippy flavor that you’ll want to put on everything. Dip it with toasted or grilled bread or crackers, and it’s a burst of savory, sweet, tangy, and herby all at once.
All you need are a handful of ingredients to whip up a batch. Store it in the fridge, and it’s one of those essential recipes that keep on giving. Use it as a sandwich spread, pasta sauce, and more!
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I like this as a pesto! A very different flavor profile in 6 ingredients, thank you!” -Sabrina
Ingredients You’ll Need
Sun-dried tomato pesto is always a major hit in my household, so I’m extra excited to share it with you. I could not stop dragging my bread slices through the lovely red puree. The flavor is a pop of bright acidity, contrasted with the rich savory undertones of the sun-dried tomatoes.
Make it for friends, and they won’t be able to tear themselves away from the bowl! Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Pine nuts
- Sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- Garlic
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley
- Olive oil
- Salt
Want more with sun-dried tomatoes? Try my top 12 Tasty Recipes with Sun Dried Tomatoes.
Ingredient Spotlight: Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are the star in traditional Italian basil pesto. They have a unique sweet undertone that is essential to the overall flavor. If you can find them, they’re fantastic in sun-dried tomato pesto, too. The way the nut blends with the chewy tomatoes is heavenly.
However, pine nuts can be very expensive here in the US. Want a pine nut substitute? Try cashews, which have a slightly sweet flavor as well. Walnuts also work, though they have more of a bitter aftertaste.
Tips for Making Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
This sun-dried tomato pesto recipe is simply a matter of blending a few ingredients together. It’s quick and simple and takes only a few minutes to whiz together. Here are a few notes:
- Toast the nuts first. Toasting pine nuts brings out their nutty flavor in a way that’s impossible to detect without applying heat. It brings out the flavor, like a pinch of salt does in savory recipes.
- The best tool for the job? A food processor. Use a large food processor to whiz the ingredients together in a flash.
- Or, use a mortar and pestle. Don’t have a food processor? You can also use an old-school mortar and pestle to grind this pesto into a paste.
Storage Info
This sun-dried tomato pesto recipe lasts up to 2 weeks stored in the refrigerator. While you can freeze it for up to 3 months, the texture, consistency, and flavor are better before freezing. So if you can, eat it while it’s fresh!
Ways to Use It
Speaking of…what are the best ways to eat sun-dried tomato pesto? I like it best as a dip with grilled bread. However, it’s also tasty as a sandwich spread or even as a pasta sauce! Here are a few ideas:
- As a dip with grilled bread or garlic toast
- With crackers or crostini
- With pasta as a quick sauce with a bit of heavy cream
- On a pizza
- In pasta salad like this Pesto Pasta Salad
- Slathered over salmon like Pesto Salmon
- With shrimp like Pesto Shrimp
- With chicken like Pesto Chicken
- Swirled into mayo for an easy Aioli
Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
This sun-dried tomato pesto is a tasty dip or spread! Made with just 6 ingredients, this easy recipe is bursting with flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 1 ½ cups 1x
- Category: Dip
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Italian Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ½ cup pine nuts*
- 1 8.5 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 handful fresh parsley
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus additional as needed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small dry skillet, toast the nuts over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the nuts to a bowl and allow them to cool slightly.
- In food processor**, add the garlic and process for a few seconds until chopped. Add the drained sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, parsley, olive oil, and kosher salt. Process until ground into a paste, about 30 seconds.
- Once combined, tastes. Blend in a bit more olive oil if desired, to achieve a looser texture. Store for 2 weeks in the refrigerator (or freeze for up to 3 months, but the texture is best when refrigerated).
Notes
*You can substitute cashews for a similar flavor, though I like it best with pine nuts.
**Alternatively, you can also use a mortar and pestle.
I like this as a pesto! A very different flavor profile in 6 ingredients, thank you!