Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (Printable Version)

Vibrant pasta with sun-dried tomato pesto sauce, ready in 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

# How to Make It:

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 concentrated tomato flavor creates this rich umami bomb that regular pesto just cant match
  • You probably have everything in your pantry right now, making it perfect for those I dont want to shop nights
  • It keeps for weeks in the fridge, so you can make a double batch and have instant gourmet dinners ready
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that adding the pesto to hot pasta off the heat keeps it from separating
  • That reserved pasta water is your secret weapon for restaurant-level sauce consistency
  • The pesto tastes better if it sits for 10 minutes before serving—give those flavors time to meld
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly than cold ones from the fridge
  • If your pesto tastes too acidic, add a tiny pinch of sugar to balance it out
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