Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Marinade for Seitan
A vibrant, plant-based Italian marinade that brings bold flavors to seitan. This sun-dried tomato pesto combines rich umami, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, and smooth olive oil for a marinade that infuses seitan with layered, Mediterranean-inspired taste. Ready in minutes with no cooking required—just blend and marinate for maximum flavor infusion.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Makes
- About 1 cup marinade (enough to marinate 12 oz seitan)
Steps
Before you start
- If using raw pine nuts, have a small skillet ready for toasting
- Prepare your seitan in advance (cut into your desired shapes and sizes)
- Have all ingredients measured and ready—mise en place ensures smooth blending
- If using dry sun-dried tomatoes instead of oil-packed, rehydrate them in warm water for 10 minutes first
Toast the pine nuts (if needed)
- If using raw pine nuts: Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the nuts, and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Transfer to a plate to cool briefly.
- (Skip this step if using pre-toasted nuts.)
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Ready when: Nuts are fragrant and lightly golden
Tip: Pine nuts burn quickly—do not walk away from the skillet
Prepare basil and garlic
- Mince the 3 garlic cloves.
- Tear or roughly chop the fresh basil leaves by hand (you should have about 1 cup loosely packed).
- Have the sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice measured and ready.
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Tip: Tear basil by hand rather than chopping to preserve its delicate flavor and prevent browning
Combine in food processor
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts (or raw, if you skipped toasting), minced garlic, and torn basil to a food processor.
- Pulse 5–6 times to break down the solids and begin combining the ingredients.
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Ready when: Ingredients are broken down but not yet fully combined
Add liquids and blend
- Drizzle in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice while continuing to pulse the mixture 4–5 more times.
- Stop when you reach a chunky paste consistency—do not over-blend.
- You want some visible texture, with recognizable pieces of nut and tomato remaining.
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Ready when: Mixture is a chunky paste with visible texture
Tip: Pulse rather than continuous blending for better control over the final texture
Season to taste
- Taste the marinade.
- Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adjusting until the flavors are well balanced.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you prefer heat.
- Stir to incorporate the seasonings evenly.
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Ready when: Flavors are balanced to your taste
Tip: Go lighter on salt initially—you can always add more, but you cannot remove it
Marinate the seitan
- Transfer the sun-dried tomato pesto marinade to a shallow container.
- Add about 12 oz (340 g) of prepared seitan (cut into desired shapes and sizes), and toss gently to coat thoroughly with the marinade.
- Cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; overnight or up to 3 days yields the best flavor infusion.
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Ready when: Seitan is evenly coated with the marinade and has absorbed color
Tip: For maximum flavor development, prepare the seitan and marinate it overnight before cooking
Good to know
Tips
- Use oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes for the smoothest blending and most vibrant color; dry sun-dried tomatoes require rehydration and will result in a less cohesive marinade
- Tear basil by hand rather than chopping with a knife to prevent bruising and preserve its delicate, bright flavor
- A slightly chunky pesto texture is more visually interesting and prevents the marinade from becoming too paste-like; pulse carefully rather than continuous blending
- For maximum flavor development and better penetration into the seitan, prepare and marinate overnight; at minimum, allow 2 hours, but the longer the seitan sits, the more flavorful it becomes
Make ahead
The marinade itself can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The marinated seitan keeps for 3–4 days refrigerated and up to 1 month frozen (thaw in the refrigerator before cooking).
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: The unmixed marinade can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours before use. Refrigerator: Marinated seitan keeps for 3–4 days covered in a shallow dish. Freezer: Marinated seitan freezes well for up to 1 month in an airtight container; thaw in the refrigerator before cooking. Reheating: Cook the marinated seitan directly from the refrigerator (or thawed if frozen) by your preferred method.
Substitutions
- Pine nuts → Walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds. Use the same quantity (1/3 cup). The flavor will shift slightly depending on which nut or seed you choose, but all work well.
- Sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed) → Roasted red peppers. Use 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar, drained and patted dry). The flavor will be brighter and less concentrated than sun-dried tomatoes.
- Fresh basil leaves → Fresh flat-leaf parsley, arugula, or spinach. Use the same quantity (1 cup loosely packed). Each herb provides a different flavor profile—parsley is milder, arugula adds a peppery note.
- Red wine vinegar → Balsamic vinegar or additional lemon juice. Use 2 tablespoons balsamic for deeper flavor, or increase lemon juice to 2 tablespoons total for a brighter finish.
