Highlights
- Barilla’s Pesto Rosso just scooped a Great Taste Award star for its creamy texture and gentle tomato aroma – described by judges as “an excellent product”.
- Made with 100% Italian tomatoes and bursting with bold Mediterranean attitude, it’s ready to go straight from the jar – perfect for pasta, pizza, toast, or whatever needs a little sunshine.
- Gluten-free and vegetarian – no preservatives or additives, and keeps for 5 days in the fridge once opened.
Italy’s number-one pasta brand, Barilla, is proud to announce that its Pesto Rosso has been awarded a Great Taste Award star, praised by judges for its layered flavour, creamy texture, and bringing high-quality Italian ingredients to a category associated with convenience. This award win recognises Barilla’s commitment to quality food that brings people together, reflecting its brand promise to enrich relationships through authentic connections – at the heart of its new creative platform, Taste Life the Italian Way.
Barilla Pesto Rosso is leading the way when it comes to quality Italian ingredients, with a blend of juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, Grana Padano DOP, and a splash of Modena PGI Balsamic Vinegar. These key ingredients bring together delicate sweetness and gentle acidity in one velvety, versatile sauce that captures the essence of Mediterranean food – simple, balanced, and full of character.
The indulgent pasta sauce, which “wowed the judges”, is also made without any preservatives or additives. It is gluten-free, vegetarian, and comes in a handy 200g jar, perfect for stirring through spaghetti, swirling into fusilli, or slathering on crusty bread for a snack that captures the essence of Italy in just one spoonful. Once opened, it can be stored in the fridge for up to five days - ideal for last-minute lunches and quick dinners, ready to enjoy without heating.
While Pesto Rosso adds a Great Taste Award to the brand’s accolades, it’s not the first time Barilla’s pesto range has impressed. Pesto alla Genovese has also topped taste tests as the number one preferred pesto, with 39 per cent of shoppers preferring it to Sacla and Filippo Berio2. The brand also offers Pesto with Basilico e Rucola as part of its UK range, appealing to both traditional palates and evolving consumer preferences.
With so many quality-affirming accolades under its belt, Peter Butler, Managing Director at Euro Food Brands, Barilla’s UK distributor, has an eye on range expansion in UK stores.
“We’ve been proud to partner with Barilla, Italy’s number one pasta brand, for over 10 years, helping grow the brand’s footprint across the UK and securing strong listings in major retailers – we believe Italy’s number one pesto is worthy of more widespread availability in the UK.
Alberto Costella, Marketing Manager at Barilla, added: “The recipe captures what Italian cooking is all about - quality ingredients treated with respect. The tomatoes bring sweetness, the cheese gives body, and the balsamic rounds everything out with a touch of brightness. It’s a little jar of Italian sunshine – ready to enjoy straight from the shelf.”