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Pesto alla Siciliana combines tomatoes and almonds to make a refreshing and delicate, no-cook sauce that can be on the table in only 30 minutes! Also known as pesto alla trapanese because of the Sicilian coastal town of Trapani where it originated, this sauce trades in the signature basil and pine nuts of the classic (green) pesto Genovese for sweet tomatoes and almonds in this more rustic, red version hailing from Sicily in the heart of the Mediterranean. Some like to call it “that other pesto” or pesto rosso (red pesto)! Keep reading for more!
This classic Sicilian tomato pesto screams summer with good reason–it is abundant with and celebrates the best of the season’s bounty! Having said this, there’s nothing stopping you from making this dish year-round. I intentionally created my version of this pesto alla trapanese with sweet-all-year cherry or grape tomatoes, which simplifies the preparation as well since no prepping of these tomatoes is necessary!
I love how the tomatoes give this southern Italian pesto a much lighter, refreshing and brighter flavor than traditional basil pesto. It really is a great weeknight dinner and comes together so quickly–in 30 minutes or less!
Pesto all Siciliana is basically a raw sauce that is assembled in a food processor and then tossed with hot pasta. It’s traditionally served with a curly, rustic pasta shape called busiate with lots of crevices (as I have shown here), but it pairs wonderfully with so many different shapes, especially those with ridges to grab on to the wonderful sauce.
For more Sicilian-inspired dishes, check out Spaghetti with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs, Pasta with Cauliflower, Bucatini with Tuna Sauce, Calamari Stew with Potato and Peas and Eggplant Meatballs (without Meat).
This version seems different . . .
Like many traditional Italian and Italian-American dishes, you’ll find lots of variations of this busiate Trapanese. My goal was to create a very easy and quick version that has perfectly balanced flavors and textures every time. All pesto ingredients, except the almonds and cheese, are pulsed together in a food processor and then combined with hot pasta, chopped almonds and grated Pecorino right before serving. No cooking of the sauce is necessary! I love the crunchy, meaty texture that keeping the almonds coarsely chopped gives to the final dish. Many recipes call for pureeing the nuts and cheese together with the other ingredients for a smoother sauce, and that works as well. It’s basically personal preference.
I also add a very non-traditional ingredient in my pesto alla trapanese recipe–garlic confit. This slowly cooked and caramelized garlic has a nutty, smooth and mild flavor that helps to temper the bite and sharpness of the raw garlic. It also balances out the acidity of the tomatoes nicely and add a nice touch of umami to the final sauce.
There are lots of other versions of Italian pestos out there as well, such as dried tomato pesto, tomato pesto with fresh ricotta, roasted red pepper pesto and pistachio pesto.
Quite honestly, between the classic basil pesto and this one, I’d pick this Pesto alla Siciliana every time. It has all the same herbal and nutty flavors as the more well-known green version, but it’s tempered by fresh and fruity tomato and also contains much less oil. Rich and abundant with sunny Southern Italian colors and flavors, this busiate Trapanese is my ideal summertime pesto with pasta! And, maybe it will soon become your new favorite as well!
Ingredients for Pesto alla Siciliana
To make this easy recipe, we will be using the following ingredients:
- Tomatoes: The best types to use are very sweet, ripe tomatoes that are meaty without a lot of pulp. (Since this is a no-cook sauce, it will be too watery if large, pulpy tomatoes are used.) Deep red, ripe, San Marzano and plum tomatoes or small vine tomatoes work beautifully. But, since I like to make this recipe year-round, I suggest using red grape or cherry tomatoes. They tend to be the most reliably sweet and flavorful all year long and are consistently available. Note that the deeper red in color the tomatoes are, the more red the resulting sauce will be.
- Basil: Fresh basil adds lots of fragrance and flavor. You can always increase the amount of basil if that is what your heart (and palate) desires!
- Garlic: I use two forms of garlic to give a well-rounded and balanced flavor: raw garlic and smooth garlic confit. If you only have one of these forms on hand, you can just leave the other out and it will still be great! And, you can always add more or less garlic to your personal liking.
- Almonds: Almonds are the traditional nut used here, but pistachios and pine nuts could also work.
- Pecorino cheese: I use sharp and salty Pecorino Romano here and in most of my recipes. It always adds that perfect something-something!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Definitely use a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil in this recipe. The sauce is not cooked, and so the great flavor of the oil has the opportunity to shine through!
- Pasta: As this recipe originates in Sicily, the ideal pasta shape for it is spiral, Sicilian busiate, as shown in the photos. cavatappi, rigatoni, penne rigate or anything with ridges to hold on to the wonderful sauce are also great! Although, truth be told, I have made this dish with spaghetti and it was also wonderful. It is an extremely versatile sauce.
A complete and detailed list of ingredients with amounts and instructions is included in the recipe below.
Steps to Make Pesto alla Siciliana, Pro-Tips included!
Here are the main steps for how to make this simple Busiate Trapanese:
- Prep and measure all ingredients. Then, toast and rough chop the almonds and set them aside.
- PRO-TIP: Don’t walk away during this step! Almonds (or any nut, for that matter) can turn from toasted to burned very quickly; so, close monitoring is a must.
- Get the pasta water ready.
- PRO-TIP: Cook the pasta in less water than you would generally use, so that the residual pasta water becomes starchier (and thicker), enhancing the sauce better. Three quarts water is sufficient.
- Next, start making the sauce by adding the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic confit, raw garlic clove, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to the food processor and pulsing until coarsely chopped and all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- PRO-TIP: I like a nice, crunchy texture in this sauce, so I do not add almonds to the food processor. Rather, I add the chopped almonds to the dish during the last mixing step with the hot pasta. However, this is not the classic method. If you prefer a thicker, creamier sauce, add some or all of the almonds to the food processor during this step.
- Cook the pasta until al dente and reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Drain and combine pasta with tomato mixture. Then, add in some of the reserved pasta water, gradually if needed to thin out the sauce. (You may not need to use any of it.)
- Once the pasta and tomato mixture are well-combined, gently fold in the almonds and Pecorino cheese. Top it with additional Pecorino, a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh basil leaves. Then, mangia!
- PRO-TIP: If you happen to have some ricotta salata available, grate a little over this dish–it pairs beautifully!
More Delicious, Sicilian-Inspired Recipes
- Fried Eggplant Cutlets Milanese–breaded, seasoned eggplant is fried until crispy
- Sicilian Eggplant Meatballs–a yummy meatless alternative to beef meatballs
- Roasted Baby Eggplant with Crispy Garlic and Herbs–marinated with lemon and herbs
- Italian Broccoli Pasta with Pecorino and Lemon–a creamy broccoli sauce that’s sure to delight!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about this Busiate Trapanese recipe:
Everything! Well, not really. Both this Sicilian Trapanese pesto and the more well-known basil-based pesto alla Genovese are raw sauces. They also both contain fresh basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, cheese and nuts. The main difference is that this southern Italian pesto contains raw tomatoes, sheep’s milk Pecorino cheese only and almonds. The Genovese version is primarily fresh basil with pine nuts and Parmigiano cheese and much more olive oil. It also sometimes contains fresh lemon juice.
The best tomatoes to use in this Pesto alla Siciliana recipe are very sweet, ripe and meaty tomatoes. (Since this is a no-cook sauce, it will be too watery if large, pulpy tomatoes are used.) Deep red, ripe, San Marzano and plum tomatoes or small vine tomatoes work beautifully. But, since I like to make this recipe year-round, I suggest using red grape or cherry tomatoes. They tend to be the most reliably sweet and flavorful all year long and are consistently available. Note that the deeper red in color the tomatoes are, the more red the resulting sauce will be.
I don’t suggest using canned tomatoes. This Sicilian Trapanese pesto is meant to be a simple, raw sauce with lots of texture. Using canned tomatoes would not really work in this no-cook format.
As this recipe originates in Sicily, the ideal pasta shape for it is Sicilian busiate, as shown in the photos. Fusilli Calabrese, rigatoni, penne rigate or anything with ridges to hold on to the wonderful sauce are also great! Although, truth be told, I have made this dish with bucatini and it was also wonderful. It is an extremely versatile sauce.
Recipe Variations for Pesto alla Siciliana
Here are a few great suggestions for twists and additions to this Busiate Trapanese recipe:
- Use a Different Nut! Classically, almonds are used in this recipe. But, feel free to switch up the nut variety to your liking! Other nuts that would work really well in this dish are pistachios, pine nuts and walnuts.
- Spice it up! For all my chile lovers out there–add a little Calabrian chili paste to the food processor along with the tomatoes for some delicious heat! Or, just increase the suggested amount of crushed red pepper.
- Add Ricotta Cheese: So many traditional Sicilian pasta dishes are made with a little bit of ricotta cheese, and this dish can certainly be enhanced and made a bit richer with about ½ to ¾ cup mixed in to the hot pasta along with the tomato mixture.
- Add Protein: If you’d like to make this dish more entrée-like with increased protein, add in about one pound cooked chicken breast or Italian sausage pieces to it. It will become more hearty in a pinch!
- Add Greens: Fold in two large handfuls of baby spinach to the cooked pasta or some leftover sauteed broccoli rabe for additional nutrients and great color.
For more great summer recipes using seasonal ingredients, check out Pasta alla Checca in a No-Cook Tomato Sauce with Ricotta, Panzanella Toscana with Fresh Mozzarella, Stuffed Zucchini, Pesto Turkey Meatballs, and Fried Italian Peppers.
Kitchen Tools & Cookware Needed
To make this busiate Trapanese recipe, you will need the following:
- Cutting board with non-slip mat underneath (I use shelf liner)
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Multiple bowls to hold prep
- Cheese grater
- Skillet to toast almonds
- Food processor
- Large pot for cooking pasta
- Colander, large mesh strainer or spider for scooping out or draining pasta
- Wooden or silicon spoons, tongs
- Large serving bowl or platter and serving utensils
More Great Recipes to Try
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Pesto alla Siciliana with Busiate Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole almonds, skin-on (about 2 ounces)
- 1 pound of the sweetest red grape or cherry tomatoes that you can find
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves lightly packed (about 1 ounce) + more for garnish
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil + more for finishing
- 2 Tbsp garlic confit cloves
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 pound pasta + salt for pasta water (See NOTE below.)
- ½-¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese + more for topping
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients according to specifications above.
- Toast almonds: Add almonds to a small skillet and place it over medium-low heat. Heat almonds until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not walk away! Almonds (or any nut, for that matter) can turn from toasted to burned very quickly; so, close monitoring is a must. Once toasted, remove them from heat and let them cool. Then, chop them coarsely either on a cutting board with a sharp knife or by pulsing them a couple of times in a food processor. Set them aside.½ cup whole almonds,
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta. Use only about 3 quarts water. (See NOTE below.)
- Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic confit, raw garlic clove, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped and all ingredients are fully incorporated. Transfer this mixture to a large mixing bowl.1 pound of the sweetest red grape or cherry tomatoes that you can find, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp garlic confit cloves, 1 garlic clove, ½ tsp salt,, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir occasionally.1 pound pasta
- Once the pasta is al dente, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta and add it to the bowl with the tomato mixture. Only add in some of the reserved pasta water, gradually, if needed to thin out the sauce. (You may not need to use any of it.)
- Make sure the sauce and pasta are well-combined, then fold in the reserved almonds and Pecorino cheese, reserving a bit for garnish.½-¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Drizzle with a little additional extra-virgin olive oil and pecorino cheese, transfer to serving dishes, & enjoy! Buon Appetito!
Notes
- The almonds can be toasted and chopped up to one day in advance and held, uncovered, at room temperature.
- The tomato mixture can be made in advance and held for up to 4 hours. I suggest holding it at room temperature and not in the refrigerator. Since this is an uncooked sauce and the final dish is more room temperature than hot, it would not be great to mix the hot pasta with a cold tomato mixture.
- I like there to be a nice, crunchy texture in this sauce, so I do not add almonds to the food processor along with the tomatoes. Rather, I add the chopped, toasted almonds to the dish during the last mixing step with the hot pasta. However, this is not the classic method. If you prefer to skip a step at the end and have a thicker pesto, add all, or even some, of the almonds to the food processor during this step.
- Cook the pasta in less water than you would generally use, so that the residual pasta water becomes starchier (and thicker), enhancing the sauce better. Three quarts water is sufficient.
- As this recipe originates in Sicily, the ideal pasta shape for it is Sicilian busiate, as shown in the photos. Fusilli Calabrese, rigatoni, penne rigate or anything with ridges to hold on to the wonderful sauce are also great! Although, truth be told, I have made this dish with bucatini and it was also wonderful. It is an extremely versatile sauce.
[…] the mouthwatering description of this Pesto alla Siciliana with Busiate Pasta recipe from Mangia With Michele doesn’t draw you in, the picture certainly will. It […]
I have never tried almonds with pasta, but I’m very intrigued by this recipe and hope to make it soon.
It’s such a fresh and delicious pasta sauce with great texture from the almonds. Hope you enjoy it, Claire!
This recipe is perfect for all the summer tomatoes I’m growing this summer! Very easy and clear instructions.
Thanks, Geralyn! Glad you are enjoying the recipe.