Red Pesto Pasta (2024)

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Red Pesto Pasta is made with pantry ingredients and comes together in just 20 minutes. Add veggies or your protein of choice, and this easy weeknight pasta will become a family favorite.

Why You’ll Love this Red Pesto Pasta

This may be the easiest and most delicious homemade pasta recipe in my arsenal. I know we are all familiar with classic green pesto, but have you ever heard of RED PESTO?

As much as I love green pesto (especially in this Pesto Tortellini Salad), red pesto offers even more complexity. While green pesto tends to taste very earthy, red pesto is incredibly bright with rich notes of umami.

What gives red pesto its bright hue is a mix of sun-dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers.

It’s delicious on its own, or paired with just about any protein: grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, or meatballs.

You can also enjoy red pesto with roasted vegetables, potatoes, rice, or eggs.

For more recipes that put pesto to delicious use, check out this Corn and Pesto Gnocchi and this Zucchini Pesto Pasta.

Recipe Ingredients:

While there are many variations of red pesto, this one leans heavily on pantry items. And luckily, there are many substitutions if you don’t have a certain ingredient on hand. Here’s what you need:

• Roasted Red Peppers: Feel free to roast your own or use jarred (I love Delallo brand). I personally prefer the latter for convenience.
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes: I prefer the ones packed in oil, as opposed to vacuum-sealed. However if you only have the latter on hand, just soak them in extra-virgin olive oil for 10 minutes before adding to the food processor.
• Fresh Basil: An absolute must in any pesto, if you ask me!
• Fresh Garlic: Another essential in pesto, however feel free to use garlic powder if that’s all you have.
• Parmesan Cheese: A big umami booster here. Oh, and make sure to grate extra for sprinkling over top, too. (Note: if making vegan or dairy-free, you can use nutritional yeast instead.)
• Pine Nuts: Small yet mighty in terms of adding richness to the pesto. Walnuts work here, too!
• Green Olives: Perhaps a wildcard ingredient in pesto, however I love the briny bite olives add. In terms of type, Castelvetrano olives are my absolute favorite. They’re buttery and smooth with a firm, meaty texture. Though really, any green olive will do the job.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

The beauty of this sauce is that it all comes together in the food processor. No slicing or dicing necessary! Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Combine all pesto ingredients in a food processor. This includes the red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, olives, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Step 2: Blend until smooth. While blending, gradually stream in the olive oil until the mixture is cohesive.

Step 3: Cook pasta until al dente. Right before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. This is liquid GOLD in terms of elevating the sauce and making it cling to the noodles.

Step 4: Add pesto to pasta. Gradually stream in reserved pasta water while mixing the pesto into the pasta. You may need anywhere from 1/2 to 1 full cup of pasta water.

How to Use Red Pesto:

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy red pesto. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Pasta. Toss with your favorite pasta shape (or zucchini noodles for a lower carb option).
• Pizza. This red pesto is absolutely delicious spread on pizza dough. I like to top mine with mozzarella, sausage, mushrooms, and spinach.
• Sandwiches. Instantly elevate your sandwiches with a swipe of red pesto in lieu of other classic condiments.
• Burgers. It’s especially delicious on these Portobello Burgers!
• Meat. Red pesto is delicious on anything from grilled chicken or steak to Shrimp Skewers.
• Vegetables: Add a dollop of red pesto to Sautéed Broccoli or a Roasted Whole Cauliflower to instantly elevate their flavor.

Recipe FAQs

Storage Tips:

• To Store: Place pesto in the refrigerator in a small storage container for up to 1 week. If your leftover pesto loses any flavor, you can perk it back up with a little bit of fresh lemon juice.
• To Freeze: Freeze pesto in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before using.You can also freeze small portions in an ice cube tray; be sure it’s in an airtight freezer bag.

More 30 Minute Pasta Recipes to Try:

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealthon Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. Also, follow along onFacebookandPinterestfor the latest recipe updates!