Sun-dried Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
It’s September and that probably means that you have some basil that needs to be used up before the end of the summer growing season. Making sauces like pesto is a great way to preserve the flavor of fresh herbs for use all year around. This recipe takes a unique twist on the classic with the addition of sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers. It makes an excellent dip for crackers, a yummy spread on sourdough bread, or a flavorful sauce for pasta.
Pesto is one of my favorite sauces to make because there is so little prep involved. A food processor is one of my recommended kitchen tools to have. If you do, pesto prep is as simple as tossing in all of the ingredients and blending on high until smooth. If a food processor is not yet in your kitchen arsenal, a blender will work as well to make herb based sauces like pesto.
Kitchen Tip!
One reason why I love to make multiplied batches of pesto this time of year so that my beloved basil does not go to waste is that it freezes extremely well. Making a quick pesto pasta for dinner or an appetizer for dinner parties (when those are a thing again) is so easy when you have some pesto reserved in the freezer. This is a great way to preserve you summers herb abundance to enjoy these fresh flavors all year long. You can freeze pesto in jars, bags, or even ice cube trays for single serving portions. If freezing in jars, ensure you leave a little air space above the top of the pesto as it will expand some when it freezes and can result in broken jars if they are overfilled. If freezing in freezer bags, squeeze out as much air as possible for the best preservation of quality and flavor. Ice cube trays are great for freezing individual portions, just fill with pesto and once frozen solid into cubes they can be popped out and placed in a freezer bag so your ice cube tray can be used for ice once again. This is a great way to preserve other fresh herbs as well, just chop and mix with olive oil before freezing in trays.
Health benefit!
Walnuts are the only nut with significant levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega-3 fatty acids linked to many health benefits. ALA is especially beneficial to heart health and has been shown to improve blood cholesterol levels and decrease inflammatory markers.1 ALA is a precursor to long chain fatty acids EPA and DHA which are also beneficial to inflammation and cardiovascular health. In addition, walnuts are also great sources of antioxidants, and contain fiber, protein, as well as many vitamins and minerals. All great reasons to include walnuts in your snacks or meals!
Sun-Dried Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Ingredients:
- 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 12 oz roasted red peppers (about 3 whole)
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor or blender.
- Pulse on high until all ingredients are roughly chopped.
- With food processor running, pour in olive oil and continue to blend until pesto reaches desired smoothness.
Resources
Banel DK, Hu FB. Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90(1):56-63. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27457
