This rich, savory, cheesy Red Pesto is the perfect flavorful condiment to elevate your favorite dishes. You just need six simple ingredients and 5 minutes to make this recipe!
This post was originally published on January 13, 2021. It was updated with new recipe information on April 2, 2024.
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Add the savory-sweet flavors of the Mediterranean to any meal with this easy red pesto sauce. This delicious versatile spread is a harmonious blend of sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, rich parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt. Once you taste the fresh jammy texture and luscious flavor, you’ll never want store-bought pesto again!
Tomato basil pesto is the perfect condiment to complement Italian-style dishes. The vibrant red hue instantly enhances the visual appeal of any dish, from pasta and sandwiches to pizza and salads. Meal prep a batch (or two!) and keep it on hand to dress up your dishes throughout the week!
If you like make-your-own condiments and spread recipes, you will love this sweet potato harissa hummus, lemon tahini salad dressing, and instant pot apple butter.
What Is Red Pesto?
Red Pesto, or “pesto rosso” in Italian, is a delicious variation of traditional green pesto. While green pesto is made primarily from basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil, red pesto incorporates sun-dried tomatoes as a key ingredient that gives it a distinctive red color and rich flavor.
The thick, spreadable paste is an incredibly versatile condiment in Mediterranean and Italian cuisine. It is typically used as a sauce for pasta, a spread for sandwiches and bruschetta, a pizza topping, or for flavoring other dishes.
Why You'll Love Red Pesto
- Great Meal Prep. This is an easy 5-minute recipe to have on hand, and you can double or triple the red pesto ingredients for a bigger batch to enjoy throughout the week!
- Flavor-packed. The combination of savory and sweet flavors will tantalize your taste buds and add depth to anything you add it to.
- Versatile. Enjoy this pesto in many ways – from a dip to a spread to a topping for your favorite dishes!
- Gluten-free. You won’t find any gluten or grains in this recipe!
Ingredients
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Choose sundried tomatoes that are oil-packed. You’ll need the liquid, so don’t drain them before adding to the recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The better the quality of the oil, the better this tomato pesto recipe will taste!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves are ideal for maximum flavor. Or you can use pre-minced store-bought garlic.
- Parmesan Cheese: Hand-grate from a block of parmesan cheese for the richest, creamy flavor and texture.
- Walnuts: Use raw unsalted walnut halves or pieces. Alternatively, you can use pine nuts or almonds.
- Salt: Sea salt adds the best flavor.
How to Make Red Pesto
Step 1: Add all the pesto ingredients to the bowl of a food processor.
Step 2: Cover the processor and run on high for 45 seconds - 1 ½ minutes, or until the pesto is smooth. Serve as desired!
Step 3: Optional: add the pesto to cooked pasta noodles and toss to combine. Top with extra parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy!
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients. This recipe uses only six ingredients, so the quality of each matter! It is worth choosing the best ingredients you can find for maximum flavor.
- Toast the walnuts. Enhance the flavor of the pesto red sauce by toasting the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them!
- Roast garlic. If you prefer a milder garlic flavor, roast the garlic cloves before adding them to the pesto.
- Adjust the pesto texture. If you prefer a thicker pesto paste, use a little less olive oil or slightly increase the amount of solid ingredients. If you prefer a thinner pesto, use more olive oil or slightly reduce the amount of walnuts or cheese.
Recipe Variations
- Add Herbs: Feel free to add more aromatic flavor by including fresh basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, or your favorite Italian herbs.
- Different Vegetables: Use jarred roasted red bell pepper instead of sun-dried tomatoes or mix the two for a flavor twist!
- Spicy: Add some heat by including red pepper flakes, fresh chili peppers, or paprika.
- Vegan: Make this recipe dairy-free by using a vegan parmesan substitute.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy red pesto in a variety of ways to add a burst of flavor to your favorite dishes. Spread it on pizza, grilled chicken or vegetable sandwiches, Italian grilled cheese, fresh toasted bread, chicken or salmon, or add to tomato soup! Find the recipes to make these under 30-minute meals in my quick dinner eBook.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftovers keep well in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Tomato pesto sauce can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Thawing: Defrost frozen pesto in the refrigerator overnight then stir well before serving.
FAQs
Traditionally red pesto is made from sun-dried tomatoes, which make the pesto sauce red, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, and pine nuts – though this recipe uses walnuts instead.
This tasty condiment has a robust sweet and savory flavor with a rich and creamy texture and garlicky notes. It is an umami-rich sauce that is deeply satisfying and aromatic.
If you can’t find oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, you can soak dry-packed tomatoes for about 20 minutes in hot water to soften the texture. You will also need to add additional olive oil to the recipe, about ¼- ½ cup to accommodate for the oil in the oil-packed tomatoes.
I recommend using a food processor for the best blended red pesto recipe. However, you can also use an immersion blender or a high-speed blender. If using an immersion blender, add all the ingredients to a deep blending cup before immersing. If using a high-speed blender, add the ingredients to the blender in the following order before blending on medium speed for best results: olive oil, tomatoes, cheese, garlic, walnuts, then salt.
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Tools Needed to Make This Recipe
More Italian-Inspired Recipes
- Instant Pot Beef Ragu
- Baked Italian Sausage Casserole with Ricotta Cheese
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Peas
- Sausage Risotto
- Garlic Angel Hair Pasta
Red Pesto
Ingredients
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup walnut pieces or halves
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor.
- Cover the processor and run on high for 45 seconds - 1 ½ minutes, or until the pesto is smooth. Serve as desired!
Notes
- Refrigeration: Leftovers keep in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Tomato pesto sauce can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Thawing: Defrost frozen pesto in the refrigerator overnight then stir well before serving.
- Use high-quality ingredients. This recipe uses only six ingredients, so the quality of each matter! It is worth choosing the best ingredients you can find for the best flavor.
- Toast the walnuts. Enhance the flavor of the pesto red sauce by toasting the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them!
- Roast garlic. If you prefer a milder garlic flavor, roast the garlic cloves before adding them to the pesto.
- Adjust the pesto texture. If you prefer a thicker pesto paste, use a little less olive oil or slightly increase the amount of solid ingredients. If you prefer a thinner pesto, use more olive oil or slightly reduce the amount of walnuts or cheese.
Nutrition
Have questions about this recipe? Contact Chelsea ([email protected]).
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