Sun Dried Tomato Dip Recipe. Pesto and All Variations

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Sun Dried tomato dip. I just love sun-dried tomatoes, and never miss a chance to include them in dishes where I think they will fit. In this dip, pairing the  glorious sun-dried tomato with basil and roasted red peppers is a surefire hit.

Once you have the dip, pesto sauce and tapenade are tiny steps away. All included in this post!

Play with Sun Dried Tomato Dip!

It could go in so many exciting directions!

Spread it as is on toast or bruschetta, or with vegetables as a dip.

Mix with a little low-fat mayonnaise, silken tofu, or yogurt (dairy-free OK), and get another variation on the original dip.

From Sun Dried Tomato Dip to Pesto!

• This is just one of my many delicious pesto recipes! Blend the dip with cheese and roasted nuts to get a nice sauce consistency. Boil some noodles and mix 1 cup of the cooking liquid into the mixture, and get a pasta sauce.
  Mix the dip with a little white wine and get a sauce for chicken or fish.

Don’t be afraid to make a larger batch: It freezes very well.

Please note I have no salt listed in the recipe, as I trust the tomatoes, olives and capers will provide more than enough salt. In fact I instruct you to rinse all of them so you end up with an overly salty dip.

From Sun Dried Tomato Dip to Tapenade!

The dip’s funky and pungent cousin. In this pesto variation, the olive is the star. The end result will vary in shade depending on the color olives you use.

Ingredients

• 1 cup basil leaves, packed
• 6 large cloves garlic
• 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed, rinsed and squeezed dry
• 2 red roasted peppers, bottled OK
• Ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions