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This red pesto sauce is made with a handful of simple pantry ingredients and is naturally dairy-free. It has a rich, complex flavor and is the perfect addition to any meal.
If you're not the biggest fan of green pesto, you're in luck because there's a new (to some*) sauce in town and it's red pesto.
(*It's not actually new.)
What is Red Pesto?
Red pesto, also called pesto Rosso or pesto alla siciliana, has many of the same ingredients as traditional pesto. Although, unlike green pesto, the base is made of sundried tomatoes and uses a smaller amount of fresh basil.
Originally, almonds were used instead of pine nuts, but now there are many different variations.
Most store-bought varieties are full of pretty junky ingredients and almost always have dairy. It's so easy to make your own, plus the flavor is so worth the extra effort.
Ingredients
- sundried tomatoes packed in oil - olive oil is best
- whole roasted red peppers - from a jar
- fresh basil
- toasted walnuts
- garlic cloves
- lemon juice
- nutritional yeast
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
How to Make Red Pesto
Add all the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Process until everything is well combined. Taste, and add more salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this red pesto sauce using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No oil-packed sundried tomatoes? ➝ use the sundried tomatoes you have + ½ cup extra virgin olive oil in total
- No walnuts? ➝ pine nuts, almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds are great (toast them for the best flavor)
- No nutritional yeast? ➝ leave it out or use dairy-free parmesan (regular if not dairy-free)
Helpful Tips
Best Tool For Pesto
It's easiest to make pesto in a food processor instead of a blender. You can learn about the differences between the two in this post.
Toast the nuts for optimal flavor
Add the nuts to a dry pan over medium heat and toast until fragrant, stirring occasionally. It only takes a few minutes, but they can burn easily so keep a watchful eye.
Don't like raw garlic?
Reduce the harshness of raw garlic by cooking it in a small amount of olive oil for a minute or two before adding it to the food processor. This will help to remove the bitterness. As soon as you're done toasting the nuts, you can do this step.
More Recipes You'll Love
- Easy Arugula Pesto (Nut-Free Option)
- Walnut Basil Pesto
- Vegan Sundried Tomato Pâté
- Dairy-Free Red Pesto Stuffed Peppers
Red Pesto Sauce (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients
- 8.5 oz jar oil-packed sundried tomatoes see notes
- 1 roasted red pepper (from a jar)
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted or substitute
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the whole jar of sundried tomatoes, including the oil, along with the rest of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor.
- Blend until well combined. Taste, and add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper if needed.
- Makes 1½ cups.
Notes
- How can you make this red pesto sauce using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No oil-packed sundried tomatoes? ➝ use the sundried tomatoes you have + ½ cup extra virgin olive oil in total
- No walnuts? ➝ pine nuts, almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds are great (toast them for the best flavor)
- No nutritional yeast? ➝ leave it out or use dairy-free parmesan (regular if not dairy-free)
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