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Sundried Tomato Pesto

September 17, 2015 by Sarah Walker Caron 10 Comments

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Sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and walnuts combine with parmesan cheese and olive oil in this quick and easy recipe for Sundried Tomato Pesto — perfect for spreading on sandwiches, tossing with pasta and so much more!

Sundried Tomato Pesto

My life in New York feels alternately like a lifetime ago, or just a few months ago, though in reality I haven’t lived there in nearly 15 years.

Growing up just north of the city, my family would make the short drive in often to see Broadway shows or musicians perform at Carnegie Hall. That was part of the tapestry of my childhood. And when I got a little older, and moved to New York for college, I sampled plays and performances at different venues throughout the city and ventured to other music venues for concerts and jam sessions. I loved everything from the underground jazz at Small’s, back when Small’s was a BYBO venue, to the grand productions that appeared at theaters like the St. James.

But that life, the one filled with so much culture, sometimes feels more like a movie I saw a long, long time ago than my real life.

When I moved to Connecticut, things changed. I was busy building a career as a journalist and then raising a family. Time was at a premium — and frankly, so was money — so I rarely saw plays and Broadway shows anymore. There was less live music in my life. In its place, I eventually got to sample restaurants thanks to my job and also went to more museums and visited more beaches. But life, especially as a young mother, was more about playgrounds and utilitarian pursuits, then about the cultural endeavors that had filled my soul for so long.

Moving to Maine, I wasn’t expecting to rekindle that part of me that relishes sitting in darkened auditoriums and being transported by acting or music or the intersection of both. But slowly over the last year, it has.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the season opener for the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine at Orono campus. The performance brought together the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and a bass guitarist, guitarist, drummer and pianist as they played the music of Elton John and Billy Joel.

When I was a child listening to classical music in Carnegie Hall, I always wondered why the strings and woodwind instruments couldn’t trade Bach and Mozart for something more modern. Why couldn’t that orchestra play something a little more like “Rocket Man,” or “New York State of Mind?”

More than 25 years later, that’s what the BSO and the musical group they performed with did for me on Saturday night. It was what I had dreamed of hearing when I was a little girl — the soulful saxophone and edgy bass guitar playing with the classic violins in modern melodies. And in many ways, as I sat in that auditorium, seven hours north of what will always be my city, I felt closer to New York than I have in a long time.

I miss New York, and though I might never live there again, that city will always be home. It’s my proverbial due north.

Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta

Oddly enough, in its own way this recipe reminds me of New York too. It was while living in New York that I discovered sundried tomatoes — and sundried tomato pesto — and fell in love with the flavor.

In college, and after, I often kept giant containers of sundried tomato pesto in my fridge. I loved the sweet, but slightly acidic, flavor of it, and adored it mixed with pasta. But when Costco stopped carrying my favored brand, I stopped using it so often.

When I spied sundried tomatoes at the grocery store recently, something was reawakened in me, and an idea for this recipe began percolating in my head.

Sundried Tomato Pesto Recipe

Sundried tomatoes. Basil. Walnuts. Parmesan. Garlic. Olive oil. Simple ingredients combine in this pesto to form a sweet but savory spread and sauce that is just as good on bread as it is mixed with pasta. I make it on the thicker side because I love spreading it on sandwiches, but if you prefer it thinner, add some more oil to the mix.

As for the flavor? The sundried tomatoes are dominant with their inherent sweetness from the roasting process. The bright basil, meaty walnuts and zesty garlic add nuances to the flavor. Ultimately, it’s fresh and just right for those of us who cannot get enough sundried tomatoes.

Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta Recipe
Print Recipe

Sundried Tomato Pesto

Sweet but zesty, this Sundried Tomato Pesto is delicious on pasta, as a spread for sandwiches and more.
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Sarah Walker Caron

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sundried tomatoes (dried, not oil-packed)
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more)
  • salt and pepper , to taste

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor, combined the sundried tomatoes, basil, walnuts, parmesan cheese and garlic. Process until finely chopped.
  • With the food processor running on low, drizzle the olive oil in a little at a time. If desired, additional olive oil can be added for a looser consistency.
  • Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Enjoy with pasta, spread on sandwiches or crackers or slathered on roasted chicken breasts — or however you like sundried tomato pesto to be served
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Sarah Walker Caron
Sarah Walker Caron

Sarah Walker Caron is a cookbook author, freelance writer and founder of Sarah’s Cucina Bella. She is the author of several cookbooks including The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook and One-Pot Pasta, both from Rockridge Press. A single mother to two kids in middle school, Sarah loves nightly family dinners, juicy tomatoes plucked fresh from the vine and lazy days on the beach. She also adores reading and traveling.

Filed Under: dinner, Dinner in 20 Minutes, Eating Locally, New England Cuisine, pasta, Quick and Easy Recipes, Recipes, sauce

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristina

    September 17, 2015 at 11:42 pm

    sun dried tomatoes and walnuts? OOOH I know this is good! saving to try soon, thank you!

    Reply
  2. Alisa Fleming

    September 18, 2015 at 1:04 am

    This looks amazingly flavorful, and where did you find that pasta?! It looks like an amazing sauce catcher.

    Reply
  3. Laura

    September 18, 2015 at 1:17 am

    This looks fantastic–I can just imagine it on goat cheese with crackers! Yum!

    Reply
  4. Christie

    September 18, 2015 at 7:56 am

    I use to go to NYC every summer but haven’t been for years now. I do miss it! There is not another city in the world like it. I love the idea of this pesto to. I bet it is brimming with delicious flavor

    Reply
  5. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

    September 18, 2015 at 7:58 am

    On my sandwich, RIGHT NOW! That’s what I want.

    Reply
  6. Kate

    September 18, 2015 at 1:35 pm

    I actually dislike sundried tomatoes,but I love sundried tomato pesto. I know, I’m weird.

    Reply
  7. Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction

    September 18, 2015 at 4:07 pm

    Love homemade pesto! Can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
  8. Isabelle @ Crumb

    September 19, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    I think NYC might just be one of my favouritest places in the world… the non-stop bustle, the feel and culture of the different neighbourhoods, the architecture, and most especially the food. I don’t know if I could handle living there for any stretch of time, but it sure is a wonderful place to visit. 🙂
    This pesto looks like a nice change of pace from the usual basil-and-pine-nut combo. I bet it would be fantastic on a chicken panini!

    Reply
  9. Cookin Canuck

    September 19, 2015 at 8:10 pm

    It sounds like a wonderful performance! We lived in Manhattan for a few years, and I relished the amount of performances that we had at our fingertips. What a beautiful pesto this is – for pasta, sandwiches, or spread on chicken.

    Reply
  10. Angie | Big Bear's Wife

    September 21, 2015 at 8:33 pm

    Loved reading about your memories <3 Love things andplaces that transport up back to those days! Love the pesto. I just bought a jar of sun dried tomatoes, may have to make this.

    Reply

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