Name: Roasted Tomato Pesto Pappardelle
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: For the Roasted Tomato Pesto; 1½ pounds cocktail or campari tomatoes; 3 cloves garlic, peeled, 1 thinly sliced, 2 whole; ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the tomatoes; ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt; ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 anchovies; 2 tablespoons capers, drained; ½ cup marcona almonds, lightly toasted and roughly chopped; 1 cup fresh basil, plus extra leaves for garnish; ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 6 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; 1 pound pappardelle or your favorite pasta; Salt; Zest of one orange; ½ cup lightly toasted fresh white breadcrumbs

Mains

Roasted Tomato Pesto Pappardelle

Author: Mary DiSomma

Pasta has always meant family in my house. Growing up in an Italian-American family, we always looked forward to Sundays when my mom would make her delicious Sunday gravy for us. The aroma of sauce simmering drifted through the house until everyone found their way to the kitchen. We still love our t raditional Sunday gravy, but I'll never turn down a good pasta dish, especially one that connects me to Italy's rich culinary history!

This Sicilian tomato pesto, known in Italian as Pasta alla Trapanese, feels rustic and elegant at the same time—one of my favorite combinations. Unlike the green basil pesto everybody knows, this vibrant red pesto combines tomatoes, almonds, basil, capers, and olive oil into a fresh, chunky sauce that's also amazing on pasta and more. It's simple cooking at its best—the kind of food I love sharing with family and friends.

A quick note before we get started: I love the rustic texture of the crushed roasted tomatoes in this recipe. But if you'd like a smoother, more refined presentation, you can peel the tomatoes after roasting and before mixing them into the sauce.

Ingredient Tips

When most people hear “pesto,” they think of bright green basil pesto. Pasta alla Trapanese is an entirely different experience. Traditional Ligurian pesto, often called green pesto, relies on basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Pesto alla Trapanese, on the other hand, is a classic Sicilian tomato pesto that combines tomatoes, almonds, basil, garlic, and olive oil. The tomatoes become the star of the show, which makes this a perfect pesto recipe for tomato season. Both sauces belong to the pesto family, but tomato pesto usually has a looser texture and a sweeter, fresher, less intense flavor profile.

"Pesto alla Siciliana" means pesto from Sicily. This is a common point of confusion because both sauces come from Sicily. Pesto alla Trapanese is a specific kind of Sicilian red pesto that originated in Trapani, a coastal city in western Sicily. It’s made with tomatoes, almonds, basil, garlic, and olive oil, just like in my recipe below.

Pesto alla Siciliana, on the other hand, is usually made with ricotta, tomatoes, basil, and sometimes other cheese. It’s definitely a creamier sauce. And like all the best recipes, depending on the region or cook, the ingredients can vary quite a bit. So, to summarize, pasta alla Trapanese is Sicilian, but not all Sicilian pesto is pasta alla Trapanese.

You can, but fresh tomatoes will always provide the brightest flavor. When tomatoes are in season, I recommend using fresh cocktail or Campari tomatoes. Roasting them will concentrate their sweetness and make this red pesto sauce very memorable.

If fresh tomatoes aren't available, high-quality canned whole tomatoes can work as a substitute. Drain them well and roast them according to the instructions below before adding them to your pesto mixture. Your tomato pesto will still be delicious, although the texture may be slightly softer than the traditional version. The good news is that the almonds and the other ingredients provide texture and flavor too. This Sicilian tomato pesto is satisfying all year round!

One of the joys of pasta alla Trapanese is that it’s versatile—it works great with a wide variety of pasta shapes. Personally, I love pappardelle because its wide ribbons hold onto a lot of the chunky tomato pesto sauce. Every bite captures little pieces of roasted tomato, almonds, herbs, and capers. It's hearty and satisfying without taking away from the sauce.

Some other excellent choices include busiate, a traditional Sicilian spiral pasta, as well as linguine, spaghetti, fusilli, rigatoni, or casarecce. Like many great pasta recipes, this one is forgiving and adaptable. Use what you have, and more importantly, what you enjoy!

Preparation + Preservation Tips

Yes, you can! Leftover pesto rosso, red pesto, or Sicilian tomato pesto is incredibly versatile. It’s great on crostini, stirred into mayonnaise for sandwiches, or served up as a pesto dip with vegetables and crackers. It's wonderful spooned over grilled chicken, shrimp, fish, or roasted vegetables.

If you want to use it as a finishing sauce, you can thin it with a little bit of olive oil. Then drizzle it over grilled meat, stir it into a warm rice or grain bowl, enjoy it with a slice of bread, or even try it on a fresh salad. Sometimes I make a double batch just so I have more to play with!

Stored properly, this Sicilian tomato pesto will keep for three to four days. Transfer any leftover sauce to an airtight container and drizzle a thin layer of olive oil across the surface before refrigerating. This helps preserve freshness and prevents oxidation.

The flavors will continue to deepen in the refrigerator, making leftover red pesto sauce perfect for quick lunches, sandwiches, pasta salads, appetizers, and more. Just let it come up to room temperature before serving so the olive oil can loosen up and the flavors fully bloom. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!

Extra Tips

Looking for more Sicilian-inspired cooking? My pignolata recipe is a wonderful way to bring another beloved Sicilian tradition to your table.

Joe’s Favorite Pignolata: Sicilian Fried Dough Balls with Honey➝

If you enjoy the flavor of red pesto, don't miss my sun-dried tomato pesto recipe. It's another fantastic variation packed with Mediterranean flavor.

Mary DiSomma’s Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto➝

And if you're intrigued by the toasted breadcrumb topping in this recipe, be sure to try my bucatini with sardines recipe. Breadcrumbs have long been known in Sicily as the "poor man's cheese," and they're one of my favorite ways to add flavor and texture to pasta dishes.

Bucatini with Sardines and Olive Oil Breadcrumbs➝

I want to encourage people to feel confident to try new things in the kitchen and to be inspired to share more meals with friends and family.

It’s easy to collect recipes and save them for “some day.” I believe recipes are for making. Let's do it together. Join me in exploring the world through food!