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Quick Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

By Keith Dresser

Published on January 7, 2015

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 3 (Makes about 1 cup)

Quick Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

½ slice hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces¼ cup pine nuts 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin1 small tomato, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ½ teaspoon salt

Before You Begin

For the best taste and texture, make sure to rinse all the dried herbs off the sun-dried tomatoes.

Instructions

  1. Heat bread, pine nuts, and 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until bread and pine nuts are lightly toasted, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer bread mixture to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to processor. Pulse until finely chopped, 5 to 8 pulses. Transfer to bowl and let stand, at least 10 minutes. (Sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in airtight container.)

Quick Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Save

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 3 (Makes about 1 cup)

Ingredients

½ slice hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 small tomato, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Ingredients

½ slice hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 small tomato, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Ingredients

½ slice hearty white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 small tomato, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon salt

Why This Recipe Works

Wanting to create a simple sauce that would provide a boost of flavor and richness to quick-cooking chicken breast cutlets, we found inspiration in the classic Spanish sauce romesco. We started with a base of oil-toasted bread and nuts, which added richness and texture. To keep things simple, we then added a combination of boldly flavored jarred and no-cook ingredients to build up the sauce. A final addition of herbs and spices created a complex flavored sauce that could be made in about 5 minutes.

Before You Begin

For the best taste and texture, make sure to rinse all the dried herbs off the sun-dried tomatoes.

Instructions

  1. Heat bread, pine nuts, and 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until bread and pine nuts are lightly toasted, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer bread mixture to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, vinegar, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to processor. Pulse until finely chopped, 5 to 8 pulses. Transfer to bowl and let stand, at least 10 minutes. (Sauce can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated in airtight container.)

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