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Liguria

Gusta Pesto Rosso from Portofino

4.68 reviews

Pesto rosso from Portofino, Liguria. DOP Genovese basil, a touch of chili.

$23.97

Purchase type
  • DOP Genovese basil, DOP Grana Padano, sun-dried tomatoes from Portofino
  • Ships from our New York warehouse in 1-2 days
  • Free shipping over $75
Terraced basil rows on a Ligurian cliffside above a misty bay at dawn.
Place
Pesto rosso is a Ligurian variation on the classic. Basil and sun-dried tomatoes together, with the same coastal terroir that makes Genovese basil so distinctive. The tomatoes are dried under the Ligurian sun and carry a sweetness that varieties grown in richer volcanic soil do not have.
Hands working a stone mortar with basil, pine nuts, and garlic beside a small bottle of olive oil.
Process
Sun-dried tomatoes and DOP Genovese basil are blended with DOP Grana Padano, cashews, and a small amount of hot chili pepper. Sunflower seed oil provides the base. Processed cold to preserve the basil's brightness and the tomatoes' concentrated sweetness.
Gloved hands spooning fresh pesto from a wooden bowl into glass jars on a worn workbench.
People
Same source as our Genovese pesto, the same Portofino operation. This rosso version was originally made for local trattoria kitchens that wanted a sharper, more complex sauce for grilled fish and vegetables. We carry the same recipe.

What's inside

Ingredients
Sunflower seed oil, rehydrated dried tomatoes (13%), cashews, DOP Genovese basil (8%), DOP Grana Padano cheese (milk, salt, rennet), water, vegetable fibers, salt, garlic, hot chili pepper, sorbic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid. No artificial colors. No artificial flavors.
Certifications
  • Made in Italy
  • DOP Genovese Basil
  • DOP Grana Padano
Contains
Milk, cashews. May contain peanuts and other nuts.

How to use it

Stir into freshly cooked pasta off the heat or use as a spread on bruschetta and grilled bread. Works well with penne and fusilli. Also excellent as a dip with vegetables or as a quick base for a tomato-pesto sauce. Refrigerate after opening and use within 5 days.

The DOP designation on both the basil and Grana Padano means the certifying body has verified the origin. The tomatoes are dried at source in Portofino, not re-processed.

Pairs with

From the recipe book.

Cook a

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The rest of the pantry

Questions

  • Does it contain dairy?
    Yes. Pesto rosso contains DOP Grana Padano cheese (milk). It also contains cashews.
  • Is it nut-free?
    No. It contains cashews. It may also contain peanuts and other nuts from shared equipment.
  • How spicy is it?
    Mildly spicy. Hot chili pepper is listed in the ingredients but it is a background note, not a dominant heat.
  • What pasta shape does it go with?
    Penne, fusilli, and rigatoni all work well. Ridged and spiral shapes catch the sauce better than smooth spaghetti.
  • How long does it last after opening?
    Refrigerate after opening and use within 5 days.
  • What does DOP mean on the basil and cheese?
    DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) is the Italian designation for protected origin. It means the ingredient was produced in its named region under verified production standards.
  • Is it made in Italy?
    Yes. Made in Portofino, Liguria.
  • Can I use it as a spread?
    Yes. It works well on bruschetta, grilled bread, and as a base for crostini.

Reviews

  • 5 stars: 6 (75%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (13%)
  • 3 stars: 1 (13%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
n
na@amazon.com
Reorder

Finished the jar. Ordered three more. Give two as gifts.

D
David K.
Good sauce but sweeter than expected

The flavor is genuine and the texture coats pasta well. Just be prepared for a sweeter profile than green pesto. Not a complaint, just a note. Used it on pizza as the base and that was excellent.

J
JAMES W.
Pizza upgrade

Used this as the base on homemade pizza instead of tomato sauce. The depth of flavor from the sun-dried tomato base made the pizza taste like something from a proper place. My family has requested it every pizza night since.

e
erica_m_92
bruschetta base that works every time

spread this on toasted bread. that is it. that is the recipe. every time.

n
na@na.com
ok but too sweet for pasta

on crostini its good. as a pasta sauce i found the sweetness distracting. for the price i was hoping for something more balanced. decent product just not what i wanted

R
Rebecca L.
Red pesto is a completely different thing

I expected this to taste like green pesto with tomatoes in it. It does not. The sun-dried tomato base gives it a depth and warmth that basil pesto does not have. Sweeter, richer, almost savory in a way that comes from slow concentration rather than fresh herb brightness.

M
Michael Torres
Pasta sauce for people who find regular pesto boring

Green pesto is fine. I have used it for years. This is more interesting. The flavor has more layers and it pairs with a wider range of pasta shapes. Rigatoni, penne, even spaghetti. I have made it differently each time and it works.

A
Amanda Choi
Versatile in every direction

This jar has gone on pasta, pizza, crostini, a grilled chicken sandwich, and into a salad dressing. Every time it works. The tomato-basil combination is flexible in a way that green pesto is not.

Six Italian regions. Nothing reformulated. Imported direct.