Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (V + GF)
Sun-dried tomato pesto gives this pasta a rich, concentrated flavor with a welcome tang. A little texture in the pesto is part of its appeal, catching in the grooves of the pasta. Fresh basil across the top keeps the finished bowl bright and fragrant.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Original yield
- Serves 3
- Ingredients
- 7 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Cuisine
- Italian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dietary characteristics
- Gluten free · Vegan
- Dish type
- Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Use the pasta's package directions
Cook the pasta in salted water, choosing a grooved shape as suggested.
2. Leave a little texture
Blend the pesto until well mixed; it doesn't need to be completely smooth.
3. Loosen the blender mixture if needed
The directions allow a little hot pasta water if the pesto has trouble mixing.
Get to know the ingredients
Oil-packed tomatoes
Omit the additional olive oil when using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil.
Fresh basil
Blend basil into the pesto and keep additional leaves for serving if desired.
Vegan Parmesan
Use it in the pesto and for the optional finishing addition.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 3. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta (V + GF)
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Toss in the pasta pot
Return drained pasta to its pot, toss with pesto and serve with extra basil and vegan Parmesan.
A little more help as you go
Taste the pesto before tossing
Adjust garlic, basil or vegan Parmesan to taste while the pesto is still in the blender.
Serving temperature options
The final note allows this pasta hot, slightly chilled or at room temperature.
A few questions you might have
Does the pesto need to be perfectly smooth?
No, the directions say well mixed with some texture is fine.
What if the blender won't catch the mixture?
Add a little hot pasta water as directed to help it blend.
Should I add oil with oil-packed tomatoes?
Omit the extra olive oil in that case.
Can I serve it slightly chilled?
Yes, the final serving note allows hot, slightly chilled or room-temperature pasta.
Why use a grooved pasta?
The directions specifically recommend pasta with grooves for tossing with this pesto.
Any more cooking tips?
For my pasta, I used the gluten-free quinoa brown rice pasta from Trader Joe’s and it’s seriously delicious and undetectably gluten-free! *If your sun-dried tomatoes are in oil, omit the extra olive oil. *Loosely adapted from Giada de Laurentis. *Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: minimalistbaker.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.