Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Published:

June 28, 2023

Last Modified:

May 9, 2024

Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto is easy, flavorful, versatile and can be made in under 10 minutes. Make some as a condiment or freeze little cubes for future meals.

 Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto is overflowing in in a small footed glass dish.
Get ready to be pleasantly and extremely surprised. Your eyes will pop and smile all at the same time. Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto is delicious!

There are so many recipes that can be enhanced with sun dried tomato pesto but it is very hard to come by in the vegan world. I mean parmesan cheese is in pesto and it adds that perfect salty flavor.

Basil is traditional for pesto and you can certainly use basil in exchange for spinach in this recipe – I was just looking for a more economical alternative.

It turned out wonderful and I will never look back.

I usually make a small batch since it goes so far but pesto does freeze perfectly so go ahead and double the recipe if you like. No problem at all.

My little processor handles the ingredients just fine for these measurements but, then again, pull out the big processor if you’re looking for a bigger quantity.

Equipment Needed

  • Food Processor or Blender
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

  • Baby Spinach- The base of the pesto. It adds a fresh and earthy flavor.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes- Adding sweetness and bold zest to pesto sauce.
  • Pine Nuts- For a bit of toasty nuttiness.
  • Garlic- For a bit of sharpness and aromatic warmth.
  • Nutritional Yeast- Replacing parmesan cheese with a vegan alternative that adds cheesy flavor without the dairy.
  • Sea Salt- Enhances the taste of the sundried tomatoes and all the other ingredients.
  • Oil/Olive Oil- Used to help the ingredients blend together and create a creamy texture.

How To Make Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Get your food processor ready and toss in the spinach. Then, add the sundried tomatoes – but make sure to save that flavorful oil! Follow it up with pine nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, and salt. Lastly, pour on the saved sundried tomato oil plus more olive oil if needed. Blend everything together until smooth or your desired consistency is reached. You’ll be amazed at how delicious this mixture is! Now comes the best part: dive in and enjoy all of the amazing ways you can use this delicious pesto sauce.

How To Use Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

There are so many different ways to use this vegan sun-dried tomato pesto! Here are some of our favorite ideas:

  • Spread it on pizza or flatbread with some fresh basil leaves.

  • Stir in soups or stew.
  • Mix it into a cold pasta salad.
  • Use it as a spread for sandwiches.
  • Toss with your favorite type of noodles or gluten-free pasta with some toasted bread.
  • Serve as a dip with veggies or crackers.

Popular Substitutions & Additions

If you want to customize your vegan sun-dried tomato pesto, here are some possible substitutes and add-ins:

  • Substitute pine nuts for walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds.
  • Add a tablespoon of fresh oregano or garlic for an herby flavor boost.
  • Swap nutritional yeast with vegan parmesan cheese.
  • Add a few tablespoons of vegan cream cheese for a creamier texture.
  • Season to your taste with ground black pepper, more salt, or lemon juice.
  • Purchasing dry sundried tomatoes allows you to select from a wide variety of oils, including regular olive oil and extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or any neutral-flavored one. Don’t forget to rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water for at least 10 minutes before use!
  • Use extra olive oil if you prefer a runnier pesto.
  • Top your pesto with chopped pine nuts, parsley, or fresh basil leaves for an extra burst of flavor!

Now that you know how to make this delicious vegan sun-dried tomato pesto, why not give it a try and see what amazing creations you can come up with?

Can You Freeze Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto?

Yes, you can freeze sun-dried tomato pesto! Let the pesto cool completely before transferring it into ice cube trays, an air-tight container, or a plastic bag. Place it in the freezer until ready to use. To thaw, place the frozen pesto in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, give it a good stir and enjoy!

To store in the fridge, place the pesto in an airtight container or jar, and it will last for up to a week.

 Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto in a small specked beige bowl with pine nuts sprinkled around.

 Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto in a small specked beige bowl with pine nuts sprinkled around.

Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Ginny McMeans
4.6500 from 14 votes
Serve as an appetizer, mix into pasta salad, or toss with noodles, vegan sun-dried tomato pesto is the perfect way to bring some Italian flair to your table!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 12 Ounces

Want to save this recipe to your email?

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup spinach baby spinach, packed
  • 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained but save that precious oil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup oil , use the oil from the sun dried tomatoes

Instructions
 

  • Place spinach in food processor.
  • Add the remaining ingredients.
  • Process until well blended.
  • That’s it!  Enjoy in so many ways!

Video

Nutrition

Serving:1Ounce, Calories:78kcal, Carbohydrates:3g, Protein:1g, Fat:6g, Sodium:37mg, Potassium:215mg, Fiber:1g, Sugar:1g, Vitamin A:275IU, Vitamin C:2.7mg, Calcium:9mg, Iron:0.7mg

share this recipe

26 responses to “Vegan Sun Dried Tomato Pesto”

4.65 from 14 votes (6 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




  1. Trixilie & Bea Avatar

    5 stars
    Hi Ginny,
    your recipe sounds perfect and it´s planed for the next red and green day – mmmhhhh…. 🙂
    We love to eat spinach, but sometimes we forget to buy it, so what do you think, could we use the green leaves of red radish instead of the spinach?
    Hugs and Kisses
    Trixilie & Bea

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      I am wondering Trixille because they are a tougher cooking green. Since they are ground up in the pesto they may be fine though. Definitely a much more peppery taste. You’d have to make sure everyone likes radish to start with 🙂

  2. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    I love the idea of making a bigger batch and freezing it in little cubes! So much easier to have on hand anytime!

  3. Des @ Life's Ambrosia Avatar

    This would be great on sandwiches or pizza!

  4. Dee Avatar

    Love the video, and the pesto looks perfect! I can think of so many ways to enjoy it!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thanks Dee. The video was fun to do. 🙂 That pesto is so versatile and thanks again.

  5. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet Avatar

    That looks absolutely fabulous! I could easily chow into this several times a week!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Ha! Thanks Kimberly. It is pretty good 🙂

  6. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet Avatar

    I am loving the sound of this pesto! Can’t wait to make a batch!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Thank you Anna! It’s a very pleasant surprise 🙂

  7. Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie Avatar

    I could eat this by the spoonful! It looks amazing!

  8. Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling Avatar
    Cathy @ Lemon Tree Dwelling

    Sun dried tomato pesto is my FAVORITE with pasta!!!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      This works great with pasta Cathy. I love the combo too!

  9. irene Avatar

    looks delicious

  10. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    5 stars
    I just finished making this for the first time and it is so damn DELICIOUS! I added about 1/3 cup of basil and only two large cloves of garlic as they were quite large, and this is hands down the best dip I’ve EVER made. I can’t rave about it enough. That’s how much I love it. I’ve decided to make it for Christmas Day so my family can try it. Thanks Ginny for an epic dip!

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      What a glowing comment and you are very welcome. Thank you so much for letting me know and have a blast at Christmas!

  11. Angie Avatar
    Angie

    Any other ideas on what to use this pesto on?

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Yes, here are some more ideas Angie. Besides spreading on tortillas for rollups you can also spread it on flatbread for pizzas. It would be delicious added to a sauce for potato gnocchi. On roasted asparagus, add it to hummus for a dip, add it to dairy free mayo as a spread.

  12. Claudia Lamascolo Avatar

    5 stars
    wow now this is my kind of pesto and I love to spread it on Bruschetta there are just so many possibilities to use this delicious creation! love it!

  13. Kristine Avatar

    5 stars
    This recipe sounds absolutely delightful! I can’t wait to make your recipe, pinning – thanks!

  14. Danielle Avatar

    Looks delicious! I’ve never tried making sun dried tomato pesto at home, you make it look easy!

  15. Tara @ Unsophisticook Avatar

    5 stars
    I could totally just eat this with a spoon — yum!!!

  16. Monica | Nourish + Fete Avatar

    5 stars
    I love pesto with sun-dried tomatoes, it’s amazing in everything! How great to have a vegan version in mind the next time I have a guest who follows that diet!

  17. Sara Piper Avatar
    Sara Piper

    5 stars
    This recipe is unbelievable!!!!!! I’m going to have so much trouble not eating the whole jar right now!! xxx

    1. Ginny McMeans Avatar

      Ha! I’m so glad you found it Sara! I love it too.

  18. Kimberley Avatar
    Kimberley

    5 stars
    Supermarket ran out of pine nuts so used walnuts was really good 😀

Ginny McMeans

Ginny McMeans

Hi, my name is Ginny and it is fantastic that you have come to visit and see my recipes. I have a positive attitude and can’t seem to be in nature enough. My North American bird count is 678 and I’m always watching for mammals and insects too. My head is stuffed full of recipes that I want to create and life is just to dang short. The recipes feature healthy and delicious vegan food that you can enjoy now or freeze for future meals.

Follow on social media:
More about Ginny