It’s getting to be that time of year when dinners are meant to be eaten on patios and lunches should be consumed in parks and on beaches. For such weather, I have just the thing:
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta! Hello, spring.
Origins of Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are a common ingredient in Italian cuisine. Italians originally dried tomatoes on their ceramic rooftops. And it’s thought that the technique may even date as far back 700 AD when Aztecs would salt and dry tomatoes in the sun to preserve their freshness (source). Whoever came up with the brilliant idea, we’re grateful!
How to Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta
If you’re a lover of simple pasta, you’re going to love this recipe.
It’s big on flavor and short on time and both vegan and gluten free! Plus, from start to finish it requires about 20 minutes and just 6 ingredients! In my world, it doesn’t get much better than that.
While your (gluten-free) pasta is boiling just blitz your sun-dried tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, vegan parmesan, fresh basil, and salt + pepper.
In a matter of minutes you have a dairy-free pesto that’s ideal for pastas, bread dipping, sandwich spreading, and even salad topping. You’ve gotta love a sauce that can multitask.
I think you guys are going to LOVE this pasta! It’s:
Super flavorful
Savory
Fresh
Simple
Satisfying
& perfect for warmer weather
Why warmer weather you ask? Eat it hot, eat it cold, eat it lukewarm – it’s still delicious. This makes it perfect for picnics, road trips, and beach days.
If you try this recipe, let us know what you think! Leave a comment and rate it! And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can be pasta pals. Cheers!
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (V + GF)
Ingredients
- 10 ounces gluten-free pasta (such as fusilli // or sub whole wheat)*
- 3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes (1 cup yield ~3 ounces)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil*
- 1 cup fresh basil (plus more for serving)
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp Vegan Parmesan Cheese (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Boil water, add salt, and then add pasta. Cook according to package instructions. Pasta with grooves is best.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic (starting with lesser amount), and vegan parmesan cheese to a food processor or high-speed blender and puree into a pesto-like consistency.
- If it has trouble mixing, add a bit of hot pasta water (2-3 Tbsp // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) to help encourage it along. It doesn’t need to be finely pureed, just well mixed. I think a bit of texture is a good thing in this dish. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for zing, basil for herbiness, or vegan parmesan cheese for cheesiness.
- Add drained pasta back to the pot you cooked it in and add pesto. Toss to coat and season with a bit more olive oil and vegan parmesan.
- Serve warm with additional fresh basil and vegan parmesan cheese. Store covered in the fridge for up to a few days, though best when fresh.
- This can be enjoyed hot, slightly chilled or at room temperature, making it ideal for picnics and take-along lunches!
Notes
*If your sun-dried tomatoes are in oil, omit the extra olive oil.
*Loosely adapted from Giada de Laurentis.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Alice says
Hi. I made this two days ago and it was delicious! One small thing I might modify next time though would be to add some salt to the pesto before I add it to the pasta as my husband likes his food saltier. He said the original taste was delicious though.
I have a question too. My basil plant is produced tons of leaves this summer and I’m wondering if I can make a big batch of this pesto and freeze it for later use? Tks!
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Alice! Thank you for sharing! We haven’t tested freezing the pesto, but it should work well. Let us know if you try it!
Jemma says
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Angie says
Hi there, Is there an easy way to measure/weigh the sun-dried tomatoes? I don’t have a food scale so ounces aren’t an option. How do I measure 1 cup? Do I squish them down into the cup or just let them sit lightly in the measuring cup? (I’ve bought them sort of in bulk form at a food market.) Thanks.
Hi Angie, we’d suggest starting with an amount that is sitting lightly in the measuring cup. You can then taste and add more to preference. Hope that helps!
Amanda Lee says
I made this and it was excellent! I had a can of artichoke hearts so I chopped them up and threw them in as well. I also added a bit of harissa to the pesto to give it a kick. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Your additions sound amazing! Thank you for sharing, Amanda! xo