Flavorful Pesto Rosso

December 8, 2021

This red pesto recipe is a delicious alternative to the more common green variety.

Vegan

Total Time

15 Minutes

Servings

The word pesto simply means ‘to pound’ or ‘to crush’ in Italian. This red pesto recipe is a delicious alternative to the more common green variety. You can make it the traditional way with a pestle and mortar, or for a quick version just pop everything into a food processor and give it a few short bursts until you get the right consistency. Red pesto, however, or pesto Rosso in Italian is well worth making at home. Enjoy it in pasta, spread it into a sandwich or wrap, or serve it with some corn chips and vegetables as a dip.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes.

1 1/2 cup roasted red pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

½ cup toasted pine nuts

2 clove garlic.

1 tsp red pepper flakes

½ lemon, juiced

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1
Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl with hot water for two minutes. Make sure the roasted pepper is clean without any seed or veins. The pine nuts should be nice golden toasted.
Step 2
Blend basil leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, roasted red pepper, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic together in a blender until smooth paste forms. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and black pepper.

Notes

Parmesan Cheese is optional, 1 cup of cheese is enough. An alternative for pine nuts gets ½ cup toasted almonds. Add a splash of water if the pesto is too thick.