Feature Recipe | Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sensation

This recipe marries together two of my favourite pasta sauces: traditional basil pesto and creamy sun-dried tomato sauce. Recently I read an article in which sun-dried tomatoes were described as “flavour firecrackers” so I’ll start off by saying this sauce is nothing short of flavourful 😛

This twist on classic pesto features fresh minced garlic, fresh basil leaves and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes paired with two ‘red sauce’ essentials: tomato sauce and cashew-based parmesan. No pine nut or walnuts required.  With a few pantry staples (including cashews) on hand you can whip up a deliciously creamy plant-based parmesan cheese (no nooch required!) and have this sauce ready in under 20 minutes.

Wanting to bring a few flavour firecrackers to your next meal? Here’s a few of our family favourites featuring nature’s blistered tomato:

Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pizza
Homestyle Quiche with Sun-Dried Tomato & Tofu

Enjoy~

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup oil
• Himalayan pink salt
• 2.5 cups tomato sauce
• One batch Savoury Parmesan Cheese (approx. 1 cup)

Method

Prep It

• 1/Prepare one batch of Savoury Parmesan Cheese (see Recipe Notes)
• 2/Cook pasta as directed

Make It

• 1/Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic, fresh basil, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, oil (reserved from sun-dried tomatoes)and a few pinches of salt. Sauté until the mixture is fragrant.
• 2/Add tomato sauce and half the parmesan cheese (approx 1/2 cup) to the skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  

Serve It
Pour sun-dried tomato pesto sauce over plated pasta.  Sprinkle reserved parmesan  cheese (approx. 1/2 cup) to elevate the savoury dimension of this dish.

Recipe Notes

(1)How to make Savoury Parmesan Cheese:
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 tsp hemp seeds (shelled)
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Method
Add dry ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse until well combined.  Add lemon juice. Pulse until the mixture just starts to combine.
Important! Don’t pulse too much– the cheese should be granular and not a paste!