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Tomato Pesto taken with iphone 15 pro max --iw 2 --ar 4:5 --v 6.1 --raw

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This bold and tangy pesto blends sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan, and toasted walnuts with rich olive oil for a quick, flavorful sauce or spread.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 140 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing bowl Large

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients

  • ½ cup Walnuts or your favorite nuts
  • 1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, about 8 ounces
  • 3 cloves Garlic sliced
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon Chili flakes optional for a little heat
  • 1 to 2 quarters Roasted red pepper from a jar, about ¼ cup, optional
  • ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Start by placing your walnuts in a dry skillet on medium heat. You gotta keep stirring so they toast evenly. After 5-7 minutes they’ll be golden and smelling amazing. Let 'em cool a bit before moving on.
  • Next, grab your food processor and toss in the sun-dried tomatoes, toasted walnuts, sliced garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and chili flakes if you’re using them. Pulse just a bit to mix those basics well.
  • Now, if you decided on roasted red peppers, add them in here. Give a few more pulses so they blend but don’t totally mush up. You want some texture still.
  • Here’s the trick: with the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. This takes patience but it helps you find that perfect pesto thickness. Stop when it looks just right to you.
  • Give it a quick taste test. You might wanna add a pinch more salt or a shake of pepper. Adjust the chili flakes if you want it spicier. This is your pesto so make it yours.
  • If you’re ready to eat, scoop it right out and toss with pasta or spread on some crusty bread. It’s that easy, no pressure cooker cooking needed here but wait a sec.
  • For a quicker, hands-off flavor boost, you can warm the pesto gently in your pressure cooker pot using the slow release setting and valve hiss as your cues. Just a minute or two to let those flavors wake up and mingle.
  • Finally, enjoy the heck outta that rich, tangy sun-dried tomato pesto that came together in just minutes. You nailed it.

Notes

Feel free to customize with your favorite nuts or skip optional ingredients like chili flakes or roasted red peppers. Store in the fridge up to a week or freeze in cubes for easy use later!