Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto

I am a fan of pesto, and there are a variety of ways to make it, but right now this vegan Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto has my attention! It has a vibrant fresh flavor and is full of healthy antioxidants. I use this pesto for wraps, on pasta, on polenta, served as a dip with pita or crackers, and even as a marinade on chicken. The ingredients are readily found in my pantry and garden and I can whip this up in a few minutes. The recipe makes approximately one and half cups of vegan pesto, leaving me enough for dinner that night and to use for a few days of lunches.

Italian White Bean Wraps with Sundried Tomatoes and Artichokes

Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto Ingredients

• Sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
• Artichoke hearts, marinated
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh basil
• Cashews
• Red pepper flakes
• Extra virgin olive oil

Choosing the Ingredients for Vegan Pesto

The sweet, tart, salty flavor of the sundried tomatoes serves as the base of this pesto. Because of the sundried tomatoes, salt is not needed in this recipe at all. But unlike salt, sundried tomatoes may have an anti-inflammatory effect and actually fight against heart disease by aiding in blood-pressure control and helping to protect against stress.

Artichokes is a thistle (not a vegetable). They have a mild, nutty flavor. Artichokes are full of fiber and help with lowering blood sugar, improving digestion, and keeping the liver healthy. Using artichokes, marinated are an excellent addition to this pesto. The vinegar and spices in the marinade adds a nice tang to the pesto. Before adding the artichokes and sundried tomatoes, drain the oil. While both ingredients will add moisture to the pesto, you will find this recipe adds about half of the extra virgin olive oil that other pesto recipes use. When selecting your olive oil, a mild flavored oil will work because Sundried Tomato Artichoke Pesto already packs a punch of flavor.

Cashews may be an unconventional choice for pesto. I love cashews and use them often for making vegan dips and cheeses. Because of this I buy cashews by the five pound bag, meaning I always have them on hand. While pine nuts or walnuts are more readily found in pesto recipes, I love cashews. Cashews add a creamy richness not found in most other nuts. Since pesto also relies on extra virgin olive oil.

Varieties of Basil? Yes! How to Choose?

I am fortunate to have a variety of basil plants thanks to my Sweetheart’s green thumb. Choosing different basils for this pesto makes it fun. I have been making this recipe for awhile. Now that I am finally formalizing the recipe, I have to say mixing basils in this pesto is my favorite. If you do not have a variety of basils to choose from it will not matter. I absolutely love a traditional sweet basil and a basil plant known as the “pesto” basil Pesto Perpetuo basil. It has a subtle lemony-sweet flavor. When choosing a basil for this recipe, I like a sweeter basil to compliment the sun-dried tomatoes. A spicy basil, like purple basil may be overpowering.

Making and Storing Sundried Artichoke Pesto

Using a food processor is the simplest way to make this vegan pesto. Add all of the ingredients, except the olive oil. Turn it on and once everything is finely ground with the processor on, slowly pour in the oil. That is it. I typically store the pesto in a mason jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-5 days. To keep it longer, pour more oil on it and it should keep up to 7 days.