This is a flavour bomb. This sundried tomato pesto recipe is super easy and quick to make. It needs seven simple ingredients that I almost always have in my pantry. You basically wait for the cashews and sundried tomatoes to soften and then blend everything up. I usually make a lot of it and save it in a jar to use later. I have given in to the temptation of eating this with a spoon, and I just can’t describe how intense this thing tastes.

My favourite way to use sundried tomato pesto is to stir it in a rich tomato sauce. I also love using pesto in my sandwiches, or on toast for breakfast, or simply with some pasta. Sundried tomatoes are really flavourful and I always have them in my pantry. I use the ones that come completely dried in a bag instead of the ones that are stored in oil. I then soak these dried tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes with the cashews just until they are both soft enough to blend up. You can use the dried tomatoes that are stored in oil for this recipe without soaking.

Tomatoes are naturally acidic, so adding the sugar is fairly important to balance the flavours. These measurements are what work for me, but you should always taste test and add more or less depending on what you like. I like making my pesto with cashews, but you can add almonds, or pine nuts, or walnuts. Maybe make it nut-free by using sunflower seeds instead. Other interesting additions would be garlic or dried chilli flakes or fresh parsely. It might be even better to use a good quality flavoured oil instead of the extra virgin olive oil. Try the variations and see what you like best!

Sundried Tomato Pesto

Recipe by EshCourse: StaplesCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: 1

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

Ingredients

• 150g Sundried tomatoes

• ⅓ cup Extra virgin olive oil

• ½ tsp Salt

• ½ tsp Sugar

• 2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast

• A handful of cashews

• A handful of basil leaves

Directions

• Soak the cashews along with the sundried tomatoes in boiling hot water for 15 mins. Save the water when you remove the cashews and tomatoes.
• Add the soaked cashews and sundried tomatoes to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
• Blend for a few minutes at high speed. Add the water you saved earlier until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.

Header photo by Slejven Djurakovic on Unsplash