Sicilian Pesto, known as Pesto alla Trapenese, is a classic Italian no-cook pasta sauce made with almonds, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, and olive oil. This delicious and simple recipe is perfect tossed with hot pasta and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Ready in just minutes!
Pesto alla Trapenese is a recipe that’s popular on the western coast of Sicily and is a fun alternative to classic basil pesto. Made with fresh tomatoes, this is a great recipe for tossing with pasta or serving with grilled meats or fish.
For more classic Sicilian recipes, try these Sicilian Almond Cookies or my Sicilian Caponata. If you love cooking with cherry tomatoes, try my Chicken with Polenta or One-Pot Lemon Shrimp Orzo.
Authentic Sicilian Pesto
Authentic Sicilian Pesto, known as Pesto alla Trapense, is a bright and flavorful twist on traditional pesto alla Genovese.
With Sicilian pesto, instead of pine nuts, it’s made with almonds plus fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. The almonds give it a nutty sweetness, while the tomatoes make it lighter and fresher.
Pesto alla Trapense comes from the port city of Trapani in western Sicily. It is said that sailor from Genoa brought their traditional pesto Genovese there, and the residents adapted it using local ingredients.
You’ll Love this Recipe!
Like all pesto recipes, this beauty of this Sicilian pesto is its fresh ingredients and simple no-cook sauce.
It’s full of bright fresh flavors that compliment Sicilian ingredients and traditions. The fresh tomatoes and almonds give this pesto alla Siciliana a lighter and brighter flavor.
You’ll love that this recipe comes together fast and is made with just a few ingredients, plus no cooking required! Toss it with pasta for a simple, delicious dish that tastes like Sicily in a bowl!
Ingredients
- Almonds: Use traditional almonds or Sicilian almonds if you can find them.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes work great because they don’t have a lot of juice or seeds.
- Garlic: You’ll need two large cloves of fresh garlic.
- Basil: Fresh basil is best. You’ll need about a cup or a large handful of leaves.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds a salty bite.
- Olive oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to finish off the Sicilian pesto.
- Pasta: You’ll need a pound of pasta for this recipe. Use any shape pasta you’d like.
How to Make Sicilian Pesto
Simple, bright, and full of flavor, this Sicilian Pesto is so easy to make and sure to be a new favorite. I recommend taking the extra step of boiling and peeling the almonds to ensure to a smooth and flavorful sauce. You can also roast them in the oven or on a pan to make them even more fragrant.
Step 1: Boil and peel almonds
Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer and add almonds. Let boil for one minute, then drain and place on a clean kitchen towel.
Rub the almonds with a towel and remove the skins (they should slide right off). You can optionally roast the almonds in the oven for 10 minutes or pan roast them for extra flavor.
Step 2: Blend the ingredients
Add the almonds and garlic to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until finely ground.
Add in the cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, and salt. Turn on the food processor and slowly pour the olive oil into the pesto through the feed chute until you end up with a smooth sauce.
Step 3: Toss with pasta and serve
Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving a cup of pasta water. Toss the hot pasta with the pesto and a bit of pasta water until evenly coated.
Top with grated parmesan or pecorino cheese and enjoy!
Tips for Making Pesto Trapanese
- Peel and roast the almonds for a smooth and flavorful sauce. This extra step isn’t necessary but will give the pesto a better flavor and texture.
- I like to use cherry tomatoes in this recipe, but you could substitute any fresh ripe tomatoes.
- Use your favorite pasta for this recipe. I like to use a short noodle, but spaghetti or fettuccini pasta would be great too.
- Store leftover Sicilian Pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to a month.
More Easy Italian Sauces
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Sicilian Pesto (Pesto alla Trapanese)
Equipment
- food processor with blade attachment
Ingredients
- ½ cup almonds
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound pasta, cooked (save a cup of pasta water for tossing)
Instructions
- Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Add in whole almonds and boil for a minute, then drain and pour almonds onto a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Pat dry and remove the skins from the almonds.
- (Optional roasting) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the skinned almonds on a small baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes, until almonds are golden and fragrant; set aside.
- Place the almonds in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add in garlic and blend until the almonds are finely ground. Then, add in the cherry tomatoes, garlic, parmesan cheese, and kosher salt. Process until the mixture is diced.
- With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue mixing until the mixture is well blended, stopping to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed.
- Toss the pesto with cooked pasta and add pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve immediately with grated parmesan on top.
Notes
- Peel and roast the almonds for a smooth and flavorful sauce. This extra step isn’t necessary but will give the pesto a better flavor and texture.
- I like to use cherry tomatoes in this recipe, but you could substitute any fresh ripe tomatoes.
- Use your favorite pasta for this recipe. I like to use a short noodle, but spaghetti or fettuccini pasta would be great too.
- Store leftover Sicilian Pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to a month.
