Pasta With Pesto Rosso (Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto)

Pasta with Pesto Rosso is an intensely flavourful red pesto pasta. This scrumptious pesto is made with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts and Grana Padano cheese. And then tossed in with fusilli, cherry tomatoes, red chili and topped with extra cheese.

What Is Pesto Rosso

Pesto Rosso translates to ‘red pesto’ and is a Sicilian dish. The pesto is made by combining sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, Grana Padano (or Parmigiano Reggiano), lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper for seasoning.

This pesto pairs really well with baked artisan bread, grilled chicken and, of course, pasta. Honestly this pesto is magic whatever you pair it with. The flavour is so unique, bold but not overpowering with a hint of nuttiness, a li’l bit of tart and some sweetness from the sun dried tomatoes.

My love for pesto rosso pasta began when I first tried it at Vapiano (a German franchise offering personalized Italian food). The dish was such a pleasant change from the usual tomato-based pastas like Arrabbiata or the creamy ones.

I have been trying to recreate this recipe for quite some time and only a few months ago was I finally able to nail it. This recipe is very similar to what you get at Vapiano.

And if you love the flavour of sun dried tomatoes as much as I do, also try my Stuffed Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes recipe for a weekend dinner. It's so amazing!

Ingredients

1. Sun-dried Tomatoes - Oil-packed sun dried tomatoes which are easily available in a glass jar work best since they are already hydrated and will give a creamier pesto. You can also use dry packed sun dried tomatoes.
2. Grana Padano -  I prefer the milder taste of Grana Padano in this pesto. But feel free to swap with Parmigiano Reggiano (aka Parmesan). 
3. Basil - Fresh basil is very vital for the herby flavour in this pesto. It cannot be substituted or excluded.
4. Pine Nuts - Make sure to toast the pine nuts before using. You can also use unsalted, toasted cashew nuts or even almonds.
5. Lemon - You will need just a tablespoon or two.
6. Pasta - Fusilli, penne, rigatoni all pair well with this pesto. I have also tried it with tagliatelle (see this cajun shrimp pasta recipe featuring it) and loved it. Honestly you can use any pasta shape.
7. Oil - The best oil in my opinion is the oil in which the sun-dried tomatoes are packed. It is full of flavour. Otherwise you can use extra virgin olive oil.
8. Garlic - Garlic is used both in the pesto and later in the pasta.
9. Cherry Tomatoes - They add a lovely colour and punch to pesto rosso pasta.
10. Seasonings - Only salt and black pepper is required.
11. Red Chili - Optional but a little bit of heat really gives this dish a nice kick. You can use any red chili (Fresno, Serrano or Thai) or even crushed red pepper.

Types of Sun Dried Tomatoes

How To Make Pasta With Pesto Rosso

1. Start by boiling the pasta according to package instructions till al dente. Make sure not to overcook as nobody likes mushy pasta.

2. Add all the pesto ingredients to a blender and pulse till almost smooth. A little bit of chunkiness is good. You want the pesto to maintain some texture.

3. Toast the garlic and add the cherry tomatoes and pesto. I like cooking the pesto before adding it to pasta as it elevates the flavour.  Add pasta water to loosen the sauce.

Toss in the pasta and take out on a plate. Grate some Grana Padano on top and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

1. Make sure you get the weight of the actual sun-dried tomatoes without the oil. Usually the weight written on the jar is with the oil.
2. Time boiling the pasta with your pesto making and other prepping so you can immediately add it to the pan after draining. Don’t rinse it with water as it removes the starch and then the sauce doesn’t bind well to it.
3. Reserve around one-fourth cup of pasta water while it is boiling. It will help loosen the sauce later.
4. Add the oil gradually and keep an eye on the consistency of the pesto. You want it to be slightly chunky yet smooth and creamy. If you are using dry packed sun dried tomatoes you might need to add more oil to make the pesto creamy.
5. Roasting the pesto in olive oil with minced garlic before adding in the pasta really boosts its taste. Lots of recipes add the pesto straight into boiled pasta which you can too but the flavour will not be the same.
6. This pasta with Pesto Rosso is vegetarian but feel free to add chicken, shrimp or your choice of extra veggies or protein to make it a more wholesome meal.

FAQs

Video

More Pasta Recipes

📖 Recipe

Pasta With Pesto Rosso (Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto)

An intensely flavourful red pesto pasta made with sun-dried tomatoes. This dish is a quick and easy family-loved meal.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 3

Author: Qashang

Ingredients 

PESTO ROSSO

• 150 g sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed
• 25 g pine nuts
• 40 g Grana Padano grated
• 1 garlic clove
• 10 g (~15 leaves) fresh basil
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly grounded
• ½ teaspoon salt

PASTA

• 250 g fusilli
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 6 cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 red chili sliced (optional)
• 6-8 tablespoon Pesto Rosso
• 2-3 tablespoon pasta water
• ⅓ teaspoon black pepper freshly grounded
• Grana Padano for serving
• fresh basil for garnish

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Instructions

• Start by boiling the pasta according to the package instructions till al dente. Don't forget to reserve one-fourth cup of pasta water.
• To a small blender, add in the Pesto Rosso ingredients. Blend till the pesto is almost creamy but still has some chunkiness.
• In a pan heat the olive oil. On medium heat, add the garlic and toast for a minute until no longer law and then throw in the cherry tomatoes and red chili.
• After 2-3 minutes add half of the pesto. You can adjust the pesto quantity according to how saucy you like your pasta. Roast the pesto for 1-2 minutes till it darkens slightly. This step will really boost its taste. Add some pasta water if the sauce looks dry.
• Drain the pasta and immediately add into the pan without rinsing it. Toss it with the pesto until well combined.
• Remove on a plate and grate some Grana Padano on top. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!

Video

Notes

1. Make sure you get the weight of the actual sun-dried tomatoes without the oil. Usually the weight written on the jar is with the oil.
2. Time boiling the pasta with your cooking. Immediately add it to the pan after draining. Don’t rinse it with water as it removes the starch and the sauce doesn’t bind well to it.
3. The quantity of the oil might change depending on what type of sun dried tomatoes you are using. If you are using dry packed sun dried tomatoes you might need to add more oil to make the pesto creamy.
4. Roasting the pesto rosso in olive oil with minced garlic before adding in the pasta really boosts its taste. 
5. This dish is vegetarian but feel free to add chicken, shrimp or your choice of extra veggies or protein to make it a more wholesome meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 522kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 18gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 532mgPotassium: 1182mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 556IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 138mgIron: 4mg

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and a review in the comments. You can also tag @chilitochoc on Instagram. I love hearing your feedback!

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