Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (Print version)

Vibrant pasta featuring sun-dried tomatoes in a savory pesto sauce. Mediterranean-inspired, vegetarian, and ready in just 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz dried pasta (penne, fusilli, or spaghetti)

→ Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

02 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (reserve 2 tbsp oil)
03 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts)
05 - 2 garlic cloves
06 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
07 - 2 tbsp reserved sun-dried tomato oil
08 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - Juice of 1/2 lemon
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

11 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, prepare the pesto: In a food processor, combine sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and basil. Pulse until finely chopped.
03 - Add the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. If the pesto is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water to loosen it.
04 - Toss the drained pasta with the sun-dried tomato pesto in a large bowl, adding more pasta water if needed to create a silky sauce.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in the time it takes your pasta to cook, perfect for those evenings when you want something spectacular without spending hours at the stove.
  • The concentrated flavor of sun-dried tomatoes creates a uniquely rich pesto that coats pasta with a silky intensity you cant get from regular tomatoes.
02 -
  • The first time I made this, I skipped reserving the pasta water and ended up with a pesto that was too thick and didnt distribute evenly, so that starchy water truly is liquid gold for creating the perfect sauce consistency.
  • I discovered that adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the entire dish and cuts through the richness of the oils and cheese, creating a more balanced flavor profile.
03 -
  • Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat just until golden and fragrant, watching carefully as they can burn in seconds, transforming from perfect to ruined in the blink of an eye.
  • Use the pulse function on your food processor rather than continuous blending for the perfect pesto texture, allowing you to maintain some chunky bits that add character to each bite.
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