There are very few things that conjure up images of a beautiful Mediterranean summer’s day quite like eating sun-dried tomatoes. You can truly imagine it: the azure water shining in the golden hour, the sun hitting your face just right, as you bite into a piece of ciabatta — toasted just right — covered in these precious gems and a hefty glug of extra virgin olive oil. Absolute bliss.
Unfortunately, in most places in the northern hemisphere, we’ve already said goodbye to summer and hello to autumn. However, if you’re still basking in nostalgia and hoping to feel the happiness of a sunshine-filled evening on the Med, here are a few sun-dried tomato ideas that will inspire you. You could make them yourself or get store-bought ones — either way, it will be a delight.
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1. Sun-dried tomato red pesto
Pesto is one of our most beloved sauces, and sun-dried tomato pesto is no different. The Italian concoction requires the best, fresh, quality ingredients to be truly fantastic, though. As Italian food connoisseurs Pasta Evangelists explain: “To prepare our blushing, red pesto recipe, we crush cloves of garlic with sun-dried tomatoes and almonds from Sicily, as well as fresh basil leaves, before slowly adding Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and anointing with olio extravergine d’oliva, made from the very best olives.” The best part? It’s simple and quick to make and will bring out summery vibes in any pasta, pizza, lasagne or another recipe that takes your fancy.
2. Sun-dried tomato bread
We don’t believe there’s anything better than carbs, and bread is their king. Making sun-dried tomato bread can be a fantastic way to combine the best of both worlds. This dense yet soft loaf will go incredibly well with cheese or pâté, but if you want to go for a classic Mediterranean afternoon, why not consider dipping it in some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, alongside some quality olives?
3. Sun-dried tomato soup
We know soup is not necessarily the most instinctively summery dish, but hear us out — it offers summertime flavours to induce nostalgia combined with the cosiness needed for autumn. There are many options to choose from, but we particularly like this simple sun-dried tomato soup that will be perfect for a busy evening (it only takes 15 minutes to make). Try adding some homemade herbed croutons to elevate it further.
4. Sun-dried tomato salad
If your diet needs some more fresh vegetables but sun-dried tomatoes still hold a soft spot in your heart, look no further than a salad. Sun-dried tomatoes will add a tangy, delicious oomph to any salad, and we think this quinoa one is a great choice, both because the grain is packed with protein and will help you get fuller. The cheese, almonds and balsamic vinaigrette complement the flavours, while the lettuce adds the freshness any good salad requires.
5. Sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken
The small, elegant recipes that we offered so far could work as starters, side dishes, condiments or add-ons, but we still haven’t given an option for a hearty dinner that will send you back to summer. This goat cheese and sun-dried tomato stuffed chicken is just what you need if you’re looking for sunny flavours without compromising on a substantial supper. It’s recommended to serve with bread to soak up the juices from this scrumptious chicken, and we definitely wouldn’t judge you if you opted for the sun-dried tomato bread from before.
