Description
This Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta combines vibrant sun-dried tomatoes, toasty pine nuts, and fresh basil for a quick and flavorful meal. Ideal for dinner, it’s packed with irresistible flavors that make it a go-to comfort food choice for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes sliced
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup pine nuts or other nuts
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese finely grated lightly packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾-1 cup sun dried tomato oil or light flavored olive oil
- 400 g penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts extra
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves torn or finely chopped
- Extra parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan with water, place it on the stove over high heat, and bring it to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt.
- Toast the pine nuts by preheating your oven to 180C/350F, spreading them on a baking tray, and baking for 5-10 minutes until they are golden and fragrant.
- Alternatively, you can toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring regularly until golden.
- Once toasted, transfer the pine nuts to a plate or bowl to prevent overcooking.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the packet instructions.
- For the tomato pesto, measure the sun-dried tomatoes without the oil, reserving the oil for later use. If you are using sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, refer to the notes for adjustments.
- In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, toasted pine nuts, parmesan, and salt. Blend until finely chopped.
- With the processor running on low, drizzle in ¾ cup of the reserved oil until well combined. You can adjust the consistency by adding another ¼ cup of oil or some reserved pasta water.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, saving a cup of the pasta water.
- Return the pasta to the pan, adding the tomato pesto and a splash of pasta water. Stir well until the sauce is heated through, adjusting with more pasta water if needed.
- For an extra touch, you may add ½ cup of cream or a handful of baby mozzarella balls.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil, extra pine nuts, and parmesan.
Notes
The thickness of the pesto can be adjusted by blending longer or adding a dash of water as needed.
If desired, you can also customize your dish with cream or mozzarella for added richness.
Make sure to save some pasta water when draining the pasta as it can help the sauce adhere better.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 25mg