Sun-Dried Tomato Pumpkin Pesto
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A twist on traditional pesto using sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped olives. Ready in under 15 minutes, this versatile mix fits on bruschettas, tossed in pasta, or dolloped onto grilled fish. No nuts, no dairy, vegan and gluten-free. The olive substitution adds a salty bite switching from capers. Toast the seeds until crackling, chop finely for texture. Oil binds but don’t drown the mix. Senses guide timing; look for rich sheen, smell earthy nutty roast, hear light crackle. Skip over-processing to keep bite. Can swap pumpkin seeds with sunflower in a pinch.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
2 min
Total:
14 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Mediterranean
#vegan
#gluten-free
#nut-free
#quick recipe
#toasted seeds
Sun-dried tomato pesto with a twist — pumpkin seeds swap nuts, black olives replace capers. Texture speaks here, chopped not pureed. Toasting seeds till they crackle fills kitchen with earthy, nutty aroma; that signals readiness better than a timer. Traditionally smooth, but I like some chunk. Oil binds, but less is more — keeps flavors sharp rather than drowned. Serve on crusty bread or fold into pasta; I’ve tossed on grilled fish too, where pungent tomato and briny olive lift the dish. Subtle acid hit from olives adds zesty balance without vinegar’s harshness. Played with sunflower seeds last winter when pumpkin ran low; less crunch but still good. Keep ingredients fresh, especially tomatoes, or oil and herbs go bitter. Let ingredients do the talking, shortcuts dull the punch.
Ingredients
- 130 ml (slightly over 1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and minced fine
- 55 ml (about 1/4 cup) pumpkin seeds toasted and roughly chopped
- 20 ml (approx 1.5 tablespoons) chopped black olives as caper substitute
- 70 ml (just shy of 1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
About the ingredients
Sun-dried tomatoes soaked briefly if too tough, then drained well to avoid watery pesto. Pumpkin seeds need dry toast, not oil toast—oil can overheat and smell burnt quickly. Watch pan temp; no smoky seeds means good flavor. Black olives bring salt and moisture; swap for green olives or even finely chopped artichokes if you want milder brine. Oil quality makes or breaks this; extra virgin, fresh, peppery olive oil adds depth. Over-chopping sun-dried tomatoes turns pulpy; best if distinct bits remain to contrast seeds. Keep olives finely chopped to balance texture, too chunky turns pesto uneven. Don’t substitute oil with flavored ones like chili or garlic unless you want those notes to dominate. Storage in airtight container—oil solidifying is normal, gently warm to loosen. Avoid metal bowls which can discolor tomatoes or affect taste.
Method
- Start by warming a dry pan over medium; toss in pumpkin seeds. Stir and listen for the gentle pop and crackle — about 2 minutes. Watch color; they should shift to golden, not dark. Remove pan quickly to cool or seeds burn bitter.
- Finely chop sun-dried tomatoes — aim for pieces that coat but hold shape. No puree here; texture’s king. Get olives chopped fine too — briny sharp contrast crucial.
- In a bowl, combine seeds, tomatoes, olives. Drizzle olive oil slowly while stirring. Not soaking the mix; you want glossy but not greasy. Emulsifying here binds flavors; skip if oil pools oddly, just stir vigorously.
- Test taste. Needs more salt? Splash of lemon juice can brighten too, or more olives for salt punch.
- Serve room temperature. Spread thick on toasted bread — bruschettas with a crunch still intact, or spoon over just-cooked pasta. On fish raw or charred, this pesto offers punch without overpowering.
- Leftover? Store sealed cold; oil can solidify but swirl to loosen. If too stiff, warm bottle gently before use.
Cooking tips
Seed toasting is key—dry pan, moderate heat, attention on popping sounds. Burnt seeds ruin mix instantly; quick cool on plate helps stop residual cooking. Chopping tomatoes and olives should be done separately to control texture. Mix gently, no blender or you lose pleasant chew. Slowly stream olive oil while folding in, helps oil emulsify around bits rather than separating. Stir tasting is a must; olives vary in saltiness. If it tastes flat, a squeeze of lemon or tiny pinch salt can amp up flavor surprisingly. Use room temperature ingredients—cold oil solidifies, cold tomatoes stiffen. When serving on bread, toast it just before spreading; soggy bread dulls crunch and freshness. Leftover pesto firms up in fridge—remove 15 minutes ahead for softer scoop. Pesto can brighten salads as dressing base too, thin with a bit more oil and lemon juice.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Toast seeds dry over medium heat till crackle just starts; watch close. Color shifts from pale to golden means good, dark means bitter. Remove pan quick to stop cooking or seeds turn harsh. Listen for light popping sounds. Let cool separate or residual heat cooks more. Don’t rush this phase or risk burnt flavor wrecking mix.
- 💡 Chop sun-dried tomatoes and olives finely but keep chunk. Puree kills texture, pesto needs bite. Olives bring salt and moisture; swap black with green olives or chopped artichokes if milder brine desired. Keep them consistent size so no uneven textures or flavor bombs. Separate chopping controls mix better too.
- 💡 Add olive oil slowly while stirring. Don’t drown the blend; aim shiny but not greasy. Oil emulsifies if folded in gently—too fast or too much separates. Use fresh extra virgin olive oil, peppery if possible. Skip flavored oils like chili or garlic unless you want those notes loud; they overpower. Emulsify edges flavors together but keep chunks intact.
- 💡 Taste while mixing. Flat? Pinch salt or splash lemon juice brightens. Olives vary in salt level, so adjust seasoning mid-mix. Don’t overdo acid or you lose balance. Keep ingredients at room temp—cold oils solidify, cold tomatoes stiffen texture. Mix gently, not blender smooth, keep chew intact.
- 💡 Store pesto cold in airtight container. Oil solidifies naturally—warm gently to loosen. Avoid metal bowls, they discolor tomatoes, affect taste. Toast bread just before spreading; soggy ruins crunch. Leftover pesto firms in fridge, remove ahead for easy scooping. Good on pasta, bread, or grilled fish. Can thin out with oil and lemon for salad dressing base.
Common questions
Can I use different seeds?
Sure swap pumpkin with sunflower if needed. Flavor less nutty, texture softer but works. Toast same way—dry, listen for crackle. Seeds burn fast so watch heat carefully.
Why no blender or food processor?
Chunk needed, texture’s part of experience. Over-processing creates pulp and dulls taste. Stir gently, chop finely instead. You lose the contrast and crunch otherwise.
What if seeds burn?
Toss batch, burnt seeds ruin flavor instantly. Toast fast on moderate heat, remove pan quick to cool after crackle stops. If burnt, bitterness will dominate no fix.
How to fix oily or greasy pesto?
Add chopped tomatoes or olives more. Oil balance tricky; no pooling should happen. Stir vigorously if oil separates. Use less oil next time. Warm slightly to loosen if cold solid spots form.
