Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Toast the Nuts for Deep Flavor
- First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread your walnuts or chosen nuts in a single layer on a sheet pan.
- Toast them in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until wonderfully fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely before proceeding.
Combine and Pulse the First Batch
- Place half of the sun-dried tomatoes, along with all the cooled walnuts, grated Parmesan cheese, sliced garlic, kosher salt, pepper, and the optional chili flakes and roasted red pepper quarters into your food processor or blender.
- Pulse these ingredients a few times until everything is well chopped, ensuring an uniform chop and preventing over-processing.
Finish with Oil and Achieve Perfect Texture
- Next, add the remaining sun-dried tomatoes and the flavorful oil they were packed in directly to the food processor. This two-stage addition creates a varied texture.
- With the motor running, slowly stream in the good quality olive oil. Pause once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even incorporation.
- Continue blending until the pesto has a uniform, but not quite pureed, consistency. A bit of chunkiness provides a nice, toothsome texture. Once desired consistency is achieved, your Sun Dried Tomato Pesto is ready.
Notes
Store leftover pesto in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator (top with a thin layer of olive oil) or freeze for up to 3 months. For perfect texture, always toast walnuts and use high-quality olive oil, avoiding over-processing. Adjust consistency by adding more olive oil for smoother results, or extra nuts/Parmesan for thicker pesto. Remember to taste and adjust seasonings to balance flavors. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.