Pesto Rosso (Sun-dried Tomato Pesto)

Name: Pesto Rosso (Sun-dried Tomato Pesto)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 200 g sundried tomatoes (packed in oil) (oil drained and reserved *see note 1); 100 g cashews; 30 g fresh basil leaves (washed and dried); 2 large garlic cloves (roughly chopped); 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional); ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper/crushed chili (optional *see note 2); ¼ teaspoon sea salt; 80-120 ml extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on the oil reserved from the sundried tomatoes); pinch cracked black pepper (optional, to taste)

While sun-dried tomato pesto is typically made with parmesan cheese, this recipe is completely vegan, full of fresh herbs, and incredibly delicious.

If you love a good pesto, like this Pistachio Pesto, you’ll love the bold flavor the sun-dried tomatoes add along with the fresh basil in this recipe. Try spreading it on a Vegan Puff Pastry for a delicious appetizer or mix it with your favorite type of pasta for an easy dinner or lunch.

Jump to:

🧾 Ingredients
🔪 Instructions
💭 Expert Tips
💬 FAQs
🇮🇹 More Italian Recipes
📖 Recipe

🧾 Ingredients

With a handful of ingredients, this homemade pesto rosso couldn’t be easier to make. Here’s what to grab:

Ingredient Notes

Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Sun-dried Tomatoes - Make sure to use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil as opposed to dry-packed tomatoes. You’ll use the oil to help flavor the pesto. You can usually find sun-dried tomatoes at your local grocery store in the canned vegetable aisle, or the Italian food aisle.
Cashews - Raw cashews will work best in this recipe as they provide the best flavor. In a pinch, you can also use almonds or sunflower seeds if you don’t have cashews on hand.
Fresh Basil - Trim the stems off the basil leaves. Make sure to dry the basil leaves well after washing. You can substitute up to half of the basil leaves for arugula if you prefer a little arugula pesto flavor.
Garlic Cloves - Use large fresh garlic cloves for this recipe. The garlic is an important part of the flavor profile and you just can’t get the same flavor with the jarred garlic or garlic powder.
Balsamic Vinegar - A bit of balsamic vinegar helps to increase the richness and enhance the umami flavor of the nutritional yeast in this pesto.
Nutritional Yeast - Nutritional yeast helps to add the parmesan flavor into this recipe while keeping it vegan. You can find nutritional yeast at most grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, you can leave it out.
Cayenne Pepper - This pesto is delicious with a bit of spice. You can use cayenne pepper, crushed chili, or red pepper flakes and adjust to your spice preference, or leave it out if you prefer.
Olive Oil - Depending on how much oil you have in your sun-dried tomatoes, you may not need much olive oil. Make sure to use extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor.

🔪 Instructions

Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this pesto rosso. Remember, the detailed printable recipe card is at the end of this page:

sundried tomatoes which have been drained of oil in a small bowl.

Step 1: Drain, reserve, and measure the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. You will need around 120ml (½ cup) of oil in total. Make up the difference with olive oil, mix in a jug, and set aside.

cashews being toasted in a pan until browned.

Step 2: Toast the cashews: In a hot pan, toss the cashews for a few minutes until browned. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

red pesto ingredients in a food processor jug which have been blended to a chunky paste.

Step 3: To a food processor or high-speed blender, add drained sun-dried tomatoes, toasted cashews, basil leaves, garlic clove pieces, balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, and salt. Pulse until the ingredients have broken down into a chunky paste. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

smooth red pesto on a rubber spatula showing the thick consistency.

Step 4: Slowly drizzle the oil into the food processor while blending until emulsified. The pesto should be uniform but not too smooth, retaining some texture.

pesto rosso in a glass jar with a thin layer of olive oil drizzled on top before going into the fridge.

Step 5: Transfer the pesto to a clean sealed jar or airtight container. Before sealing, pour a layer of olive oil and store it in the refrigerator.

💭 Expert Tips

Adjust the Oil. You can adjust the amount of oil to your desired consistency. Feel free to add more if you like your pesto thinner.

Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the food processor (or blender) as you go. This will help with an even texture.

Chop the garlic. It may be tempting to add whole cloves of garlic to the food processor, but roughly chopping helps to evenly distribute the flavor.

💬 FAQs

What is the best way to store pesto rosso?

Add the pesto to an airtight container. Before sealing, pour a layer of olive oil on the surface of the pesto to prevent it from being exposed to air.

Seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week. If you need it to last longer, you can freeze it for up to 6 months. You can also freeze in ice cube trays to have available in individual portions for pesto anytime. Once frozen, transfer to a Ziploc bag for long term storage.

What is the difference between traditional basil pesto and pesto rosso?

The difference comes from where the pesto recipes originate from and their ingredients.

Traditional basil, or pesto alla Genovese, is a green pesto sauce, typically made with basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and a hard cheese, like parmesan or parmigiano Reggiano. It originates from Genoa, Italy.

Pesto rosso is a delicious red pesto sauce with the same basic ingredients, but typically sweet sun-dried tomatoes or fresh tomatoes are added, a bit less basil is used and almonds are usually used in place of pine nuts. It originates from Sicily, Italy, and can also be called pesto alla siciliana. You may also find roasted red peppers in a pesto rosso.

This recipe varies a bit from the classic recipe since it's made vegan. But it's sure to be one of your new favorite ways to make this delicious Italian condiment.