Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Alfredo: An Easy Weeknight Favorite

 

What do you do when you love both red sauce and white sauce on pasta? You combine them of course.

This Fettuccine Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto delivers the best of both worlds—a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce with the bright, concentrated flavor of tomatoes. The result is a beautiful blush-colored sauce that tastes like summer without requiring you to chop, seed, or cook down pounds of fresh tomatoes.

My introduction to sun-dried tomato pesto came when I stirred a spoonful into a batch of Creamy Tuscan Shrimp. The flavor was incredible—rich, complex, and intensely savory. One taste was all it took to convince me that this ingredient deserved a permanent place in my refrigerator.

Since then, I’ve used it in dips, sandwich spreads, salad dressings, soups, stews, and baked pasta dishes, all with delicious results. It adds depth and brightness to almost anything it touches.

 In this recipe, a simple homemade Alfredo sauce gets a flavor boost from Melissa’s Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto. The pesto cuts through the richness of the cream and cheese, creating a balanced sauce that satisfies both red sauce and white sauce lovers alike.

 If you’ve never tried sun-dried tomato pesto, this recipe is the perfect place to start. After one bite, you’ll probably find yourself looking for new ways to use it too.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto 

¼ c. butter

2 T. cream cheese

1 c. heavy cream

½ t. McCormick Garlic Powder and Paprika Seasoning

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1–2 T. Melissa’s Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

⅓ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

6 oz. fettuccine,* cooked according to package directions

 In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth.

 Add the heavy cream, garlic powder and paprika seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

 Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto and heat through. Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and fresh nutmeg, stirring until smooth.

 Toss the sauce with the hot, drained fettuccine and serve immediately.

Other Easy Ways to Use Your Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto 

If you want more ideas beyond this Alfredo:

•  Pizza or flatbread base — Mix with a little olive oil and spread instead of red sauce.

•  Sandwich spread — On paninis, grilled cheese, or caprese sandwiches.

•  Chicken or fish — Spoon over grilled chicken breasts, salmon, or white fish.

•  Vegetables — Toss with roasted veggies (zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower) or stir into mashed potatoes.

•  Dip — Mix a spoonful into ricotta or cream cheese for a quick crostini spread.

•  Soup — Swirl into tomato soup, minestrone, or creamy chicken soup for extra flavor.

•  Eggs — Stir a bit into scrambled eggs or omelets, or dollop on frittata.

 *I used mafaldine pasta 

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