Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Recipe
This Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta is made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan, and rich sun dried tomatoes. It’s bold, silky, and packed with bright, savory flavor. It's a quick, family-friendly pasta perfect for busy weeknights, but impressive enough for guests too!
Servings 4 Servings
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor Mini or Regular size will work
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Pine nuts Or nuts of your choice
- 2 cups Fresh basil leaves, packed Plus a few for garnish
- 1 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, packed in oil Or rehydrated (see notes)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated Plus ¼ cup for garnish
- 16 ounces Pasta
Instructions
Prep-Ahead Steps
- If your nuts are not toasted, place in frying pan (no oil needed) and toast for 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat. Watch closely to make sure they don't burn.
- To a food processor, add the pine nuts, basil, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Pulse and then blend, scraping down the sides as needed. Once completely blended, add the parmesan to combine (either in the processor or transferred to a bowl). It will be thick, but can be thinned out later when mixed with the pasta.
Cooking Steps
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water for adding to the pesto pasta then strain the pasta and add back to the pan.
- Over medium-low heat, add the pesto (start with 1 cup and add more to taste) to the pasta and gently toss the pasta to combine using tongs or a spatula. Add ¼ cup of pasta water at a time as needed to help thin out the pesto and create a sauce with the pasta.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings vary, depending on whether this is a side dish or main. For a main dish, you will get 4 nice portions. For a side dish, you can get 5-8, depending on your eaters.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: If you have dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, you will want to steep them in boiling water for 5-10 minutes to re-hydrate and soften them so they blend better into a smooth texture.
- Toast your nuts before using to release the oils and get maximum flavor. Place in frying pan (no oil needed) and toast for 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat. Shake them around frequently and watch closely to make sure they don’t burn. Then remove from heat until ready to use.
- Nut Substitutes: Pine nuts are the traditional nut used in pesto, as they are mild, soft, and buttery, blending smoothly into the pesto. But you can use other soft nuts, such as cashews, walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts. Harder nuts, like almonds work as well, but may need to be blended a bit more. And sunflower seeds are a great no-nut option.
- Storage: This pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
