Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings 6 Sevings

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Red pepper pesto (pesto calabrese) is a smoky sauce you can make in under five minutes! You’ll need roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic, parmesan cheese (regular or vegan), and olive oil. This recipe is perfect for pasta, homemade flatbread pizza, Mediterranean wrap sandwiches, bruschetta, and more.

I love how quickly I can make pesto. It usually takes less than five minutes, so it’s perfect for nights when I don’t want to cook. Red pepper pesto has a unique smoky flavor from the peppers. You can make it at home by roasting the peppers, similar to how you roast peppers when making ajvar. But I like to stay simple and use jarred red peppers.

You just need roasted red peppers, almonds, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. Put them into a food processor and pulse. I timed it today, and I pulsed for 35 seconds. In total, this recipe takes more than two minutes to make! You can’t beat that on a night you do not want to cook!

I use pesto on almost everything when I want to amp up the flavor, from dipping roasted vegetables in pesto to using it as a condiment in a Mediterranean wrap or as a sauce on homemade pizza. If you use pesto in a unique way, leave a comment below. I would love to hear about it. For a sweeter pesto, try my sun-dried tomato pesto (pesto rosso).

Why You Will Love This Recipe

The jarred peppers make this recipe fast and easy.
The smoky flavor with bits of almonds is perfect for cozy nights!
You can easily make this recipe vegan by using vegan cheese (that’s what I use!).

Red Pepper Pesto Ingredients

Key Ingredient Notes

Cheese

Traditional pesto uses Parmesan cheese. I use vegan parmesan (Follow Your Heart is my favorite!). Try nutritional yeast for a less processed, more natural alternative. Check out the Diet Modifications section below for more details.

Nuts

I wrote this recipe with almonds to stay true to traditional Calabrese pesto. Always use unsalted nuts. You can use either raw or roasted. If you have raw nuts but want a deeper flavor, toast them in a dry skillet over low heat for two minutes. Toss often to avoid burning. For a gentler flavor and texture, I recommend using pine nuts.

Roasted Red Peppers

I used jarred roasted red peppers to make this recipe. They are quick and convenient. Look for peppers packed in water without seasonings.

How to Make Red Pepper Pesto

Step One

Drain the jar of red peppers.
Save 1 to 2 tablespoons of the water.
Place the roasted red peppers, almonds or pine nuts, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes in a food processor.

Ingredients to make red pepper pesto in a food processor.

Step Two

Pulse while streaming in olive oil or saved water into the food processor.
Continue blending until you reach your desired consistency.

My Best Tip

If you prefer less oil in your recipes, drain the liquid from the jarred red bell peppers, but save at least two tablespoons. Then, swap the olive oil for the saved liquid and blend to your preferred consistency.

Red pepper pesto on a plate garnished with cheese and parsley.

Perfect Pairings

Homemade Vegan Pizza Dough – Replace tomato sauce with pesto!
Toast simple homemade bread and add pesto for an easy appetizer.
Try it as a topping for baked potatoes.
Switch things up and dip your vegan falafel in pesto instead of vegan tzatziki!
Use red pepper sauce in your Mediterranean wrap in place of hummus!

Frequently Asked Questions

Pesto Genovese, also known as basil pesto, is the most popular version in the US. It is made with basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. When you see pesto on a menu, it’s almost always the Genovese style.

The word pesto comes from pestare, which means to pound or crush, as in pounding ingredients together. Across Italy, you’ll find countless variations. Basil pesto (pesto alla Genovese). Popular versions include sun-dried tomato pesto (pesto rosso), lemon pesto (pesto al limone), and olive pesto (pesto di olive).

Yes, you can. I often make it without cheese. The pesto in the pasta pictures was made without cheese.

It has a warm, hearty, smoky flavor and slightly nutty texture. It does not have a fresh herb flavor.

Store the pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can freeze the pesto for up to three months. I like to freeze it in individual portions. I prefer to use Sooper Cubes or an ice cube tray.

How Did It Go?

I hope you loved this red pepper pesto recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave a rating and a comment to let me know how it went.

A plate filled with pasta that has been tossed with red pepper pesto and garnished with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Red pepper pesto (pesto calabrese) is a smoky sauce you can make in five minutes! You just need roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic, Parmesan cheese (regular or vegan), and olive oil. This recipe is perfect for pasta, pizza, sandwiches, bruschetta, and more.

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Print Rate

Course: All Day

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: Sevings

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Ruth Grindeland

Equipment

▢
1 food processor

Ingredients

Optional

▢ ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (adds spice)
▢ ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (adds flavor complexity)

Instructions

Drain the jar of red peppers. Save 1 to 2 tablespoons of the water.
Add the roasted red peppers, vegan Parmesan cheese, almonds or pine nuts, garlic, and optional sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes to a food processor. Blend while slowly streaming in olive oil or reserved water until you reach the desired consistency.
Season with salt to taste.

Notes

12 Ounce Jar Adjustment

Roasted red peppers are typically sold in 12- or 16-ounce jars. This recipe is designed for a 16-ounce jar, but if you’re using a 12-ounce jar, adjust the measurements as follows:

1 ½ cups of roasted red peppers (12-ounce jar)
3 tablespoons of unsalted almonds
3 tablespoons of vegan Parmesan cheese
1–2 cloves garlic (same as original)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional for spice)
3 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes (optional for complexity)

How to Roast Fresh Red Peppers.

If you use fresh red peppers, follow these roasting instructions. Once roasted, add them to the food processor with the other ingredients. Wash and dry two peppers. Broil on a foil-lined baking sheet for 8-10 minutes, turning until charred. Once cooled, peel off the skin, remove the seeds and stem, and add to the food processor.

Storing Instructions