This Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto pasta is the answer to every tomato lover’s dreams. Even if you’re not a sun-dried tomato fan, there’s a great chance you’ll love this delicious pasta dish!
If pasta is your love language, I encourage you to try this simple and divinely yummy Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto. It’s tangy, super satisfying, and bursting with fresh flavors from the basil and citrus.
Pesto is typically prepared with pine nuts and parmesan cheese, but this version skips the cheese and nuts. Instead, we blend in flavorful sun-dried tomatoes. I use the jarred, marinated variety, and drain away the oil.
However, you can certainly go ahead and use the sun-dried tomatoes not in oil. You may want some additional olive oil and/or water when blending up the pesto, for that extra touch of liquid.
There’s just something SO satisfying about an incredibly SAVORY and FLAVORFUL bowl of pasta (and my favorite – spaghetti!). Spaghetti holds a special place in my foodie heart, as this was the pasta of choice growing up. Spaghetti nights were the best nights in our house. There was nothing more comforting than a cozy, hot bowl of spaghetti in marinara sauce as a kid.
This Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto pasta is a more grown-up version of my favorite spaghetti, but my kids loved it too! They are my favorite taste testers for dishes, and are always blatantly honest. It’s such a plus when trying out new recipes, and I’m always thrilled when they love it.
The best compliment is when my kiddo grabs a fork or spoon (without prompting) and goes to dive in. That’s exactly what happened here.
It helps that they’re also fellow spaghetti lovers (they learned from the biggest fan!).
things i love about this vegan sun dried tomato pesto
- It’s delicious AND quick to prepare
- You can use your favorite pasta
- It is versatile to use as a topping for vegetables
- Sun-dried tomatoes add so much flavor to dishes
I find that adding sun-dried tomatoes to dishes are a great, easy way to infuse a lot of flavor. You can slice or finely chop them and add into most pasta dishes, whether it’s a hot or cold pasta. They are also delicious in grain or rice bowls, and quinoa dishes too.
When combined with fresh herbs and lemon juice, like in this Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, you get a delicious blend of earthiness, freshness, and bright tanginess.
other delicious pasta recipes
Pasta with Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce
Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Above are some of my favorite pasta recipes. But as you can probably guess, I have many more! Just search “pasta” and/or “spaghetti” in the search bar of this site to find more delicious (and super simple) recipes.
some helpful and fun items for dishes like these
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OXO 1134700 Good Grips 5-Quart Stainless-Steel Colander, Silver
Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel – Silver
Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb your favorite pasta
- 1/2 cup pasta cooking water
- 1 cup (firmly packed) sun-dried tomatoes (jarred type, with oil drained away)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp garlic powder or 1-3 cloves minced garlic to taste
- 3/4-1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 medium bunch fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente in salted water. Remember to reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water once the pasta is cooked.
- While the pasta is cooking, set up the food processor with the various remaining ingredients.
- Once the pasta is al dente, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Drain the pasta.
- Blend the pesto in the food processor, adding 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water at first.
- If you prefer the sauce to be thinner, add the remaining 1/4 cup of water.
- Add the sauce to the pasta.
- If desired, top with fresh parsley and additional squeeze of lemon juice and/or vegan parm.