Savoury Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

A rich, savoury sun-dried tomato pesto made without dairy, balanced with garlic, toasted nuts, capers or olives, chilli and a splash of red wine vinegar. Bold, thick and built for the savoury side of the table.

Sun-dried tomato pesto can easily lean too sweet, so this version is built for the savoury side of the table. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes bring depth and richness, while garlic, toasted nuts, capers or olives, black pepper, chilli and red wine vinegar keep everything balanced. It is thick enough to scoop with bread, bold enough for a charcuterie board and beautiful served beside fresh basil pesto with a glass of red wine.

Prep: 10 min · Yield: 1 cup · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Savoury Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

• 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1/3 cup toasted almonds, cashews or walnuts
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tbsp capers or 6–8 kalamata olives
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• ½ tsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika
• Pinch chilli flakes
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1/3–1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Optional: small handful parsley or basil

Method

1. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, nuts, garlic, capers or olives, paprika, chilli flakes and black pepper to a food processor.
2. Pulse until roughly combined but still textured.
3. Add the red wine vinegar, then slowly add the olive oil until the pesto is thick, glossy and spreadable.
4. Taste before adding salt — the tomatoes, capers and olives may already provide enough.
5. Spoon into a bowl and finish with a little extra olive oil before serving.

Serving Suggestion

Serve alongside Dairy-Free Basil Pesto with crusty bread, olives and olive oil for dipping. Spoon over grilled meats, stir through pasta, or use as a spread in sandwiches and wraps. Beautiful as part of an antipasto board with Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Platter.

Notes

Taste before adding any salt — the sun-dried tomatoes, capers and olives are often salty enough on their own.

For a more savoury flavour, add extra capers, a few more olives, or a small splash more red wine vinegar.

For a softer, milder result, add a little more olive oil and pulse again.

Keep some texture rather than blending completely smooth — the pesto should be thick and spreadable, not a paste.

Store in a sealed jar in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Use within one week.

The Grace Table Tip

Serve this beside the basil pesto with a bowl of olives and good bread between them. The contrast of green and red on the board is exactly the kind of thing that makes a simple table feel considered.