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Low FODMAP red pesto
This recipe is not elimination phase proof. See the paragraph below.
I make green pesto quite often from scratch, but I had never made a low FODMAP red pesto yet. While red pesto also is a delicious addition to dishes.
Perfect for in a pasta sauce, as a spread on a cracker or mixed with some lactose-free crème fraîche as a dip sauce. And it is also very simple to make!
The ingredients of the homemade red pesto
The basis of red pesto consists of sundried tomatoes and grilled bell pepper:
- Sundried tomatoes: these are very limited low FODMAP. At 16 gram per serving they contain an average amount of fructose. A safe serving is 8 gram or 3 pieces according to Monash University.
Next to that, not all brands of sundried tomatoes are low FODMAP. Often garlic is added to sundried tomatoes which makes them high in FODMAPs. Make sure you pick a brand with no added garlic. In the Netherlands, I use the brand Royal. - Grilled bell pepper: you can grill bell pepper yourself and remove the peel, but I used grilled paprika from a jar.
Also with this product, you have to make sure that it doesn’t contain any garlic. I use the brand Royal for grilled bell peppers as well. - Pine nuts: if you don’t have pine nuts available, you can use walnuts as a replacement.
- Parmesan cheese: real parmesan cheese is the best for pesto, but if you don’t have this available you can also use another kind of grated cheese that you like. I often use Dutch Gouda cheese.
Do you want to make the pesto vegan? Then you can leave the cheese out or replace it with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. - Fresh basil
- Extra vierge olive oil: if you want to add a garlic flour to your pesto you can use a garlic-infused olive oil. I like using this olive oil by Fody Foods.
This recipe is not elimination phase proof
I don’t advise eating this pesto when you are still in the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.
This recipe was created when red bell pepper was still low FODMAP without limitations. In 2022 red bell pepper has been retested and it now contains a moderate amount of fructose at servings of 57 grams and higher.
Sundried tomatoes and red bell pepper both contain fructose. Therefore, I don’t advise making this recipe when you are still in the elimination phase or when you know you don’t tolerate fructose.
This recipe is only suitable when you know you tolerate fructose.
One serving of this pesto equals two tablespoons or 40 grams. This recipe makes about 6.5 servings of pesto.
You can store the pesto in a closed jar in the fridge. Then it will stay good for a week.
What does red pesto go with?
After you have made a jar of red pesto, what are you going to use it for? There are tons of different ways to use red pesto in a dish. My favourites are:
- As a pasta sauce in combination with a lactose-free cream sauce
- As a marinade for fish or meat
- On bread, a cracker or gluten-free wrap
- As a dressing for a salad
- Mix the pesto with some lactose-free crème fraîche to make a dip for chips or veggies
- As a topping on a homemade gluten-free pizza
Low FODMAP red pesto
- Total Time: 15 min
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A simple low FODMAP red pesto with sundried tomatoes and grilled bell pepper. Delicious with pasta, in a salad or on a cracker. Gluten-free and low lactose.
Ingredients
- 50 g sundried tomatoes
- 150 g grilled red bell pepper from a jar
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 20 g grated parmesan cheese
- 15 g fresh basil
- 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or garlic-infused olive oil)
- Pepper and salt
- Immersion blender or food processor
Instructions
- Heat a pan and roast the pine nuts for 2 minutes on medium heat in a dry pan. Keep an eye on them and shake them often, so they don’t burn.
- Put all ingredients, except for the olive oil, pepper and salt, in the food processor and blend until a smooth mixture.
- Season with pepper and salt. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and blend again until the olive oil is mixed in. If the pesto is too thick, you can add some extra oil.
Notes
Note that red bell pepper has been retested in 2022 and is now limited low FODMAP. Therefore I don’t advise making this recipe when you are still in the elimination phase. See the explanation above the recipe card.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Category: Spreads & sauces
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Frequently asked questions
Red pesto is usually made with sundried tomatoes, grilled bell pepper, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic. In this recipe for red pesto no garlic is used.
The basis of green pesto is fresh basil. The basis of red pesto are sundried tomatoes and often also grilled bell pepper. Red pesto is usually slightly thicker than green pesto and the structure looks a bit more like a tapenade.
The classic recipe for red pesto contains parmesan cheese and is therefore not vegan. To make this red pesto vegan, you can leave out the parmesan cheese or replace it with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
You can use red pesto in a lot of different ways. As a pasta sauce, as a marinade for meat, as a dressing in a salad or as a spread on a cracker. If you add some crème fraîche, you can also use it as a dip sauce.
Yes, you can eat this pesto both warm and cold.
Store the red pesto in a closed jar in the fridge. Then it stays good for a week.
Yes! I like freezing my pesto in portion amounts. I freeze it in a ice cube tray. I wait until the pesto is completely frozen in cubes. Then I transfer the cubes to a ziplock bag, so they hold their flavour. Then I can take out one or two cubes whenever I need a bit of pesto. In the freezer the pesto will stay good for 3 months.
