Barilla’s Pesto Rosso Awarded Great Taste Award And Will Save Your Bank Holiday Hosting Plans

With the August Bank Holiday weekend fast approaching, meal planning tends to go one of two ways: carefully prepped picnic spreads and barbecue sides – or last-minute fridge raids between outings. Either way, no one’s looking to spend hours in the kitchen. 

That’s where Barilla’s Pesto Rosso comes in. The pesto has been awarded a Great Taste Award star for its rich, layered flavour, creamy texture, and uncompromising quality – all crafted with authentic Italian know-how. 

Made with juicy sun-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, rich Grana Padano DOP, and a splash of Modena PGI Balsamic Vinegar – this award-winning pesto truly captures the essence of Italy in every spoonful. It brings a burst of Mediterranean sunshine straight to your kitchen, like a mini holiday in a jar. 

And the best part? It’s gluten-free and vegetarian, making it the perfect store-cupboard staple for the whole household. Stir it through spaghetti, swirl it into fusilli, or slather it on crusty bread for a snack that says aperitivo hour starts now. Ready to go straight from the jar it’s perfect for pasta, pizza, toast, sandwiches, BBQ sides, snack boards or whatever needs a little sunshine. Perfect for quick, no-fuss hosting. 

Once opened, it can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, ideal for last-minute lunches, speedy dinners, or sneaky spoonfuls straight from the jar.

Alberto Costella, Marketing Manager at Barilla, said: “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”. 

For pesto lovers, it doesn’t stop at Rosso. Those craving something more classic can turn to Barilla’s taste-test-winning Pesto alla Genovese – bursting with the timeless taste of fresh basil and Parmigiano Reggiano – which topped consumer trials as the number one preferred pesto, with 39% of shoppers preferring it to Sacla and Filippo Berio. 

For something a little different, the brand also offers Pesto with Basilico e Rucola as part of its UK range – because there’s a jar for every mood, meal, and craving.

Barilla Pesto Rosso is now available in Co-op, Morrisons, Ocado, Amazon, and selected independent retailers across the UK. 

Customers can pick up Barilla Pesto Rosso for less at Morrisons from 13th August – 9th September, then enjoy more savings at Co-op from 10th – 30th September. And from 7th October – 4th November at Ocado, buy any Barilla pesto or sauce and get pasta free – the perfect excuse to stock up.