Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

Melissa

By: Melissa

Updated: October 27, 2025

This tangy sun dried tomato pesto is a quick and unique twist on the classic pesto rosso. It's made with pantry staples and dried herbs so it's perfect for when you're in a pinch, but still delivers incredible flavor for a delicious meal.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

A bowl of sun dried tomato pesto sauce.

Why you’ll love this pesto rosso

I guess I’ve been on a bit of a pesto kick lately, but I couldn’t wait to share this sun dried tomato pesto recipe with you. I made this for the first time last week as an experiment and I was amazed by it.

The recipe was inspired by a pasta sauce over at Budget Bytes (recipe no longer available) that used tomato paste and honey to mimic the flavors of sun dried tomatoes. The thing that stood out to me most about the recipe was the spices that were used – lots of savory ones. Spices that you might use to season a turkey or chicken or even stuffing.

Typically pesto sauce uses fresh basil which can get pretty expensive, but the best part of this recipe is that it uses dried spices – cheaper and more convenient.

Since dried spices – especially the rosemary tends to be a bit hard – I soaked the spices some olive oil to soften them up and bring out their flavors. Then I combined them with sun dried tomatoes and other traditional pesto ingredients in a food processor.

The recipe makes enough pesto to toss 1 pound of cooked pasta and coat 4 chicken breasts – about 1 1/2 cups, but of course you can do whatever you want with it.

More dairy free pesto recipe to try: spinach basil pesto / cilantro pesto / red pepper pesto / arugula pesto /

SHOP THIS RECIPE:

This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. I will never recommend a product I don’t use or trust.

Ingredients in a food processor to make a red pesto.
Processed pesto made with sun dried tomatoes.
Ideas

Ingredients:

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Sun dried tomatoes – We normally use sun dried tomatoes that aren’t packed in oil, but if you do, you’ll want to drain them.
  • Dried herbs – This recipe is pantry friendly, which is why we use dried herbs, but if you have fresh, you’ll want to use about 1 tablespoon chopped herbs for each.
  • Walnuts – You can use a variety of nuts here. I’ve made this with almonds and pine nuts, and both worked great. I think a milder flavored nut is best.
  • Vegan parmesan – We used Follow Your Heart parmesan, but you can use any brand you want, or dairy if that works for you. Nutritional yeast will also work, but only use 1 – 2 tablespoons.
overhead view of pot of sun-dried tomato pesto sauce over pasta

Frequently asked questions

  • How long does sun dried tomato pesto last? Sun dried tomato pesto will last up to a week in the fridge if you keep it properly stored in an airtight container. Just note that when it gets cold it will solidify so you’ll want to warm it back up into a liquid before using or serving.
  • What is the difference between red and green pesto? Green pesto is made using basil and red pesto uses tomatoes, peppers, or pimento. They’re both pretty similar but the differences are what make them unique and delicious on different foods.
  • How do you eat red pesto? You can use it as a sauce for meats or pasta, and you can also use it as a garnish on the plate. Adding a splash of red color to your dinner dish will certainly add a level of high-class and fun!

More pasta recipes you’ll love: sausage and peppers pasta / shrimp scampi linguine / roasted vegetable pasta salad / BLT pasta salad / tomato artichoke pasta

More sun dried tomato recipes: marry me pumpkin pasta / sun dried tomato pasta salad

A bowl of penne pasta tossed with a sun dried tomato pesto sauce, garnished with a leaf of parsley.

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings
This tangy sun dried tomato pesto is a quick and unique twist on the classic pesto rosso. It's made with pantry staples and dried herbs so it's perfect for when you're in a pinch, but still delivers incredible flavor for a delicious meal.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
  • 1 large clove garlic - peeled
  • 1/4 cup walnuts pieces
  • 2 tablespoons vegan parmesan - optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Make the pesto. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Blend all the ingredients until they are smooth. Toss with pasta or transfer to a bowl until ready to use.
  • Storage tips: Transfer unused pesto to an airtight container and store for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25c Calories: 275kcal Carbohydrates: 18g Protein: 5g Fat: 23g Sodium: 267mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 11g Vitamin C: 12mg

Melissa Belanger is the founder and food-obsessed visionary behind Simply Whisked, where she creates dairy free recipes with simple ingredients. She lives in Wisconsin with her milk-allergic husband and two kids. Melissa's experience in developing dairy free recipes is unparalleled and she strives to make dairy-free living accessible and enjoyable. In addition to running Simply Whisked, Melissa also manages two other publications: Another Cocktail Blog, a cocktail recipe website, and The Pasta Twins, a joint venture with her twin sister.