• Recipe Index
  • Desserts
  • Dinner
  • Lunch
  • Breakfast
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lettuce Eat Cake

Lettuce Eat Cake

Easy but elevated vegan eats

browse by category

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Lifestyle
  • Recipe Index
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Desserts
    • Pasta
    • Sandwiches
    • Condiments
  • Featured Recipes
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Work With Me
  • Subscribe

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

July 30, 2022

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

Fiery red, filled with flavour, and just the right amount of heat, this Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto is a sophisticated sauce.

Pesto is a thing of beauty that can be creatively customized in a myriad of ways. While good old fashioned basil pesto is an eternal classic, mixing it up with fun new flavour combinations is a welcomed change.

While swapping out basil in a classic pesto for different herbs like cilantro or mint is always a great way to shake it up, this Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto takes it to the next level!

Sun-dried tomato is the base of this lovely pesto, with green and kalamata olives giving a savoury depth, and minced jalapeño adding the fire. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients.

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

Ingredients in Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

• Sun-dried tomatoes

I prefer to use dried rather than sun-dried tomatoes in oil. You can use the oil-packed variety if you like and reduce the olive oil in the recipe. The oil that comes in the oil-packed jars of sun-dried tomatoes is a bit of a mystery, and so I prefer to use the non oil variety, and add a quality olive oil to the pesto.

• Kalamata & green olives

You can use whatever your favourite variety of olives are! I like a combination of green and kalamata.

• Pine nuts

Of course every pesto needs a nut (or a seed if you are nut-free)! You can really use any unsalted variety of nut in pesto. Pine nuts are the classic, but I often use unsalted cashews. They’re less pricey and taste just as great.

• Fresh basil

Be sure to use fresh basil. Never, I repeat, never use dried herbs in a pesto. It’s just not right! You need the volume and consistency of the plant for a pesto. Plus, a pesto is all about quality ingredients being married together into a paste. Dried herbs cannot achieve this.

• Finely chopped jalapeño

Add more or less according to how much heat you like. If you’re not a fan of heat be sure to always remove the seeds in a recipe calling for jalapeño, as the seeds are the hottest part of the pepper.

• Nutritional yeast

In a vegan pesto nutritional yeast adds a complex cheesy flavour that is absolutely divine! Dare I say, it’s better than cheese in a pesto. It’s always chock full of vitamins and minerals too.

• Garlic, lemon juice & salt

To bring out the flavours

• Olive oil and water

Olive oil adds the fattiness and flavour, while water allows you to thin out the pesto a bit without having it too oily.

Different Ways to Use This Pesto

The best way to use this pesto is, obviously, on pasta. When making a pasta dish, you should always consider which type of pasta noodle is best for the sauce you’re using.

A pesto sauce is served best with longer cuts of flat pasta, like linguine, spaghetti or spaghettini. Pesto is also nice on pasta cuts with curves that hold the sauce within the noodle, such as rotini or the corkscrew shape of Fusilli.

Other ways I suggest to use this pesto is on pizza with crumbled tofu and my Quick Tofu Pepperoni Crumble! Stuffing homeade ravioli or pasta shells is also a great way to use pesto. This Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto would also be lovely in a tofu sandwich, wraps, or on crostini bread as an appetizer at parties!

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

A fiery pesto made of sun-dried tomatoes, olives, jalepeno and basil.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 7 minutes mins
Total Time 7 minutes mins
Course dinner, Sauce
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • mortar and pestle or food processor

Ingredients
  

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

  • 2 Tbsp pine nuts or cashews
  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp sliced green olives
  • 2 Tbsp sliced kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped jalepeño without seeds if you prefer less heat
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3-6 Tbsp water to reach desired thickness

Instructions
 

Sun-dried Tomato Jalapeño Olive Pesto

  • To a food processor add pine nuts, basil, olives, jalapeño, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt. (or use a hand blender, or crush manually with a mortal and pestle.
  • Add olive oil and water until desire consistency is achieved.
  • Continue to blend with food processor or hand mixer (or with pestle and mortar).
  • Taste and add more salt, lemon juice if desired and mix.
Keyword jalepeno, Mint pesto, olive, Pasta, pasta sauce, sundried tomato, Tomato

Looking for more vegan pesto ideas? Try my Vegan Basil and Cilantro Pesto!

Vegan Basil and Cilantro Pesto

in All Recipes, Condiments, Dinner

Subscribe to the newsletter!

Get the latest recipes, tips and more.

Reader Interactions

you may also like
Vegan Gluten-Free Tofu Dogs
Jalapeño Popper Lasagna Rolls
Vegan Gluten-Free Deli Slices
Vegan Bbq Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

with love,

Cyndi

I’m Cyndi. I create recipes of easy but elevated vegan eats that showcase the possibilities of plant-based cuisine.

Subscribe to the newsletter!

Get the latest recipes, tips and more.

Top hits!

Featured

Vegan Bbq Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Vegan Bbq Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Categories

  • All Recipes
  • Featured Recipes
  • Snacks
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Desserts

Archives

Latest on Instagram

🍊 🎂 Vegan Vanilla & Orange Buttercream Cake 🍊 🎂 Vegan Vanilla & Orange Buttercream Cake with an orange marmalade filling and topped with spiced dried orange slices.

This dairy-free and vegan cake is super easy to make, but looks quite fancy all dressed up with oven dried spiced citrus. It will have your home filled with the smell of citrus and spice!

🔗Get my recipes at LettuceEatCake.ca

🗞 Subscribe to our newsletter for our latest cooking supplies free giveaway, free bonus meal ideas and more at: LettuceEatCake.ca/subscribe

#ottawavegan #canadianvegans #ottawaveganeats #ottawaveganfood #vegancanada #ottawafoodblogger #veganrecipes #easyveganeats #easyveganmeal #easyveganfood #easyveganrecipes #veganhealthyeating #veganfoodblog #veganfoodrecipes #vegancooking #veganeasyrecipes #veganrecipeideas #veganeasyrecipe #vegrecipes #canadavegans #veganrecipesforbeginners #vegangiveaway #veganrecipeblogger #veganfoodblogger #veganvanillacakerecipe #vegancoconutcake #vegancoconutbuttercream #vegancakerecipe #veganrecipecreator
🌿Pizza night, but make it elevated! My Mint Pes 🌿Pizza night, but make it elevated! My Mint Pesto Vegan Pizza has crumbled tofu, crispy kale, olives and caramelized onions all on top of the perfect vegan pizza crust! 

🌿I made this pizza because sometimes you want a more elevated flavour that isn’t just smoothered in cheese. Seriously the mint pesto base on this pizza is so fresh and bursting with flavour. And the caramelized onions are divine. 

🔗Get the recipe now at LettuceEatCake.ca 

This recipe also at the link in my bio, or just comment ‘recipe’ below and I’ll be sure to send it to you myself!

#easyveganrecipes #lettuceeatcake #mintpesto #veganpesto #veganpestopizzarecipe #veganpestopizza #veganpizzarecipe #ottawavegan #caramelizedonions #tofucrumble  #veganinfluencer #ottawavegan #vegancook #vegancooking #plantbasedlife #spreademcheese #easyveganrecipies #veganpastarecipe #ottawavegan #ottawacreator #ottawafoodies #ottawainfluencer #canadianvegan #veganrecipecreator #veganinfluencers #veganrecipeshare #veganeats #lettuceeatcake
🥕Carrot Pesto & Vegan Ricotta Shells! This dis 🥕Carrot Pesto & Vegan Ricotta Shells!

This dish sneaks carrots in for extra nutrients! My baked shells are stuffed with a carrot pesto and a rich and creamy plant-based ricotta (packed with protein), baked then topped with fresh herbs and vegan parmesan.

🔗Get my Carrot Pesto & Vegan Ricotta Shells recipe now at LettuceEatCake.ca

🗞 Subscribe to my newsletter for my free e-cook book and more at: LettuceEatCake.ca/subscribe

#ottawavegan #canadianvegans #ottawaveganeats #ottawaveganfood #vegancanada #ottawafoodblogger #veganrecipes #easyveganeats #easyveganmeal #easyveganfood #easyveganrecipes #veganhealthyeating #veganfoodblog #veganfoodrecipes #vegancooking #veganeasyrecipes #veganrecipeideas #veganeasyrecipe #vegrecipes #canadavegans #veganrecipesforbeginners #veganricotta #veganrecipeblogger #veganfoodblogger #veganstuffedshells #veganitalianfood #vegansofottawa #carrotpesto #lecreuset
🫑Jalapeño Popper Lasagna Rolls with a creamy v 🫑Jalapeño Popper Lasagna Rolls with a creamy vegan jalapeño ricotta centre, topped with non-dairy white sauce, cheddar and a crispy breadcrumb topping.

🔗Recipe up now at LettuceEatCake.ca or comment ‘recipe’ below and I’ll personally send it to you! 

Imagine the creamy spicy flavourings and crispy breadcrumb topping of jalapeño poppers, but turned into lasagna rolls.

This recipe makes gooey and creamy lasagna rolls that are a unique and plant-base take on an Italian classic. If you love Jalapeño Poppers, you will love this dish!

#ottawavegan #canadianvegans #ottawaveganeats #jalepenopoppers #ottawaveganfood #vegancanada #ottawafoodblogger #veganrecipes #easyveganeats #easyveganmeal #easyveganfood #easyveganrecipes #veganhealthyeating #veganfoodblog #veganfoodrecipes #vegancooking #veganeasyrecipes #veganrecipeideas #veganeasyrecipe #vegrecipes #canadavegans #veganrecipesforbeginners #veganricotta #veganrecipeblogger #veganfoodblogger #veganlasagnarecipe #veganitalianfood #vegansofottawa
🌭 NO gluten flour! Perfect texture. Super fast 🌭 NO gluten flour! Perfect texture. Super fast and easy to make.

What's thre secret? Seasoning then blending your tofu into a paste, shaping and baking! So easy, so healthy, soo good. Skip the gluten flour for a cheaper, quicker, healthier vegan tofu hot dog. 

🔗 Recipe at LettuceEatCake.ca or comment 'recipe' below and I will personally send it to you!

#lettuceeatcake #tofudogs #vegantofudog #tofuhotdog #veganbbq #veganrecipecreator #vegansummer #glutenfreevegan #gfvegan #ottawavegan #canadianvegan #veganbbqrecipes
🥧 Comforting and wholesome Vegan Tofu Pot Pie, 🥧 Comforting and wholesome Vegan Tofu Pot Pie, with a crust that only takes 5 minutes to make! This delightful pie has a no-knead no-roll quick crust, and is filled with tofu chicken and a creamy vegetable mixture. 

🌿This recipe makes 4 mini pies or 2 regular.

🔗Get the recipe at LettuceEatCake.ca 

You can also find it at the link in my bio or simply comment ‘recipe’ below and I will send it to you myself!

#veganchicken #tofuchicken #tofuchickenrecipe #lettuceeatcake #vegansandwiches #vegansandwichrecipe 
#ottawavegan #canadianvegans #ottawaveganeats #ottawaveganfood #vegancanada #ottawafoodblogger  #easyveganfood #easyveganrecipes #veganhealthyeating #veganfoodblog #veganfoodrecipes #vegrecipes #vegancooking #veganeasyrecipes #veganrecipeideas #veganeasyrecipe #veganrecipesideas #canadavegans #veganrecipesforbeginners #veganrecipeblogger #veganfoodblogger #veganpierecipe #veganchicken #veganpotpie
2023 © Lettuce Eat Cake
made by soulmuse