I don't have a food processor. Can I still make this?

Yes, absolutely! It will just require a bit more knife work. Finely mince the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil by hand. In a large bowl, use a fork to mash these ingredients together with the oil from the jar and the Parmesan cheese to form a rustic paste. The texture will be chunkier but just as delicious.

My sauce seems oily or separated. What went wrong?

This is the classic sign that you didn't use the magic ingredient: the reserved pasta water! The hot, starchy water is essential for emulsifying the oil and cheese into a creamy, cohesive sauce that coats the pasta.

Can I make the pesto ahead of time?

Yes. You can prepare the pesto and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You may want to pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top to keep it fresh.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta: The #1 Ultimate 20-Minute Recipe

The Ultimate Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (Ready in 20 Minutes!)

A quick and flavorful vegetarian pasta dish featuring a homemade sun-dried tomato pesto. The pesto is easily made in a food processor by blending an entire jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil with fresh garlic, basil, and grated Parmesan cheese. This rich, savory pesto is then tossed with freshly cooked penne pasta, using some of the reserved pasta water to create a perfectly coated, saucy meal.

Author: Evelyn
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Category: Main Course
Method: Boiling, Blending
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

12 ounces penne pasta
1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook for about 8 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite (al dente).
Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking liquid. Drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto. In a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, the garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and fresh basil leaves.
Blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped and the mixture forms a thick paste.
Transfer the tomato pesto mixture to a large serving bowl and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.
Add the hot, drained pasta to the bowl with the pesto. Toss to coat, adding the reserved pasta cooking liquid a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Season the pasta with additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Notes

Reserving about a cup of the starchy pasta water is a key step; it helps the pesto emulsify and cling to the pasta, creating a creamy sauce without adding cream.
Using the oil that the sun-dried tomatoes are packed in adds a significant amount of flavor to the pesto.
A food processor is the recommended tool for making the pesto quickly and easily.
Ingredient substitutions are noted as being available on the source website.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
Calories: 450-550
Sugar: 6-9 g
Sodium: 500-700 mg
Fat: 20-28 g
Saturated Fat: 5-8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 55-65 g
Fiber: 5-7 g
Protein: 15-20 g
Cholesterol: 10-15 mg

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/sun-dried-tomato-pesto-pasta/