This roasted red pepper pesto combines flavorful sweet peppers, fresh herbs and pantry staples. It's so easy to make as a red pesto sauce to stir through pasta or enjoy as a dip, and it gets some veggies in too!
I'm all about a herby pesto sauce, but this red pepper pesto feels a little fancy with the addition of sweet peppers for flavor and that pretty color too! I like to roast the peppers myself to keep it low histamine, but also because I'm sure they taste better than jarred . . .
Similarly to my pumpkin seed pesto, we make this recipe without dairy (no Parmesan cheese) or lemon juice that is sometimes added. Blend it up so it's nice and chunky, which is my favorite way, or keep blending for a smoother consistency!
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Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Red peppers - I like to use sweet red pointed peppers as I like their flavor, but you can also use regular red bell peppers. I roast mine fresh, but jarred red peppers can be used (likely not as suitable for my low histamine readers).
- Pine nuts - to add crunch, they have a nice creamy taste.
- Basil - make sure to use fresh basil leaves, not dried herbs!
- Olive oil - I suggest to use extra virgin olive oil for the rich flavor.
Can I Swap Pine Nuts for Another Nut or Seed?
Pine nuts score 1 on the SIGHI list, with a ? as a liberator, so may not work for all. Pumpkin seeds can be used as a swap (and give you a greener sauce!). You may need to add a touch more olive oil for a smoother pesto sauce.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
It's very easy to make your pointed or bell pepper pesto sauce with fresh veggies, herbs and pantry staples, and all you need is a food processor to blend it up!
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these step by step photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Roast the peppers
Slice the peppers lengthways and remove the membrane, stalk and seeds. Place on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes until you have light charring (image 1). Place in a bowl, cover, and leave for 10 minutes. Peel the skins from the peppers once cool enough to handle.
Step 2: Toast the pine nuts
While the peppers are roasting in the oven, tip your pine nuts into a dry pan (no oil) and lightly toast for 4-5 minutes (image 2). Stir occasionally so they don't catch. Set aside on a plate to completely cool.
Step 3: Assemble ingredients
Add the roasted red peppers, basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, garlic, apple cider vinegar (if using) and salt to your food processor (image 3).
Step 4: Blend your pesto up!
Blend the red pepper pesto sauce, scraping the sides of the food processor as needed (I tend to do it twice). Have it more chunky or smoother if you run the food processor for longer (image 4).
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Toast the pine nuts. It is optional to do this, but I really recommend it for bringing out their flavor!
- Choose your pesto sauce texture. Either blend so that it is quite chunky, or keep going for a smoother texture. To thin the pesto, add a dash more olive oil.
- Use a pestle and mortar. Both that or a food processor can be used to make the pesto.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use jarred peppers, which would make the recipe much quicker. I would suggest that low histamine readers are more likely to want to roast their own peppers to make the pesto sauce.
Simply swap the pine nuts for pumpkin seeds! It will have a slightly earthier taste, but still be delicious!
I've frozen many portions of this red pepper pesto and it worked really well! Spoon into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to three months. Simply allow to thaw before use. My low histamine readers may want to read the SIGHI kitchen tips advice on this.
Pesto Recipe Ideas
Use this pesto to cook up my pesto chicken risotto or creamy pesto gnocchi, and find so many more tasty pesto recipes:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you, so please do leave a star rating if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers or sweet pointed peppers membrane and seeds removed
- ½ cup pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves fairly tightly packed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390F / 200C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice your peppers lengthways and remove the stalk, membrane and seeds. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the peppers for 20-25 minutes, until you have slight charring at the edges. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and leave for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins from the peppers.
- While the peppers are roasting, add the pine nuts to a dry skillet (no oil) and toast for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't catch. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- Add the roasted peppers, pine nuts, basil leaves, olive oil, garlic, salt and apple cider vinegar (if using) to your food processor. Blend to the texture you like, scraping down the sides of the food processor a couple of times, as needed.
Notes
- Jarred roasted red peppers can be used, but I suggest my low histamine readers will want to roast their own peppers. If using jarred peppers, give them a rinse if they're in brine but try not to add too much water to the pesto.
- Toasting the pine nuts is optional, but recommended for better flavor!
- Adjust with a dash more olive oil to thin, if required to taste preference.
- To make it a nut free red pepper pesto, swap the pine nuts for pumpkin seeds.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- pine nuts, which score 1 with a ? as a liberator.
- garlic and apple cider vinegar, which score 1.
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