Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant creamy pasta with sweet roasted red peppers, garlic, and Parmesan. A quick, easy vegetarian main dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

02 - 2 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, or 12 oz jarred roasted red peppers, drained
03 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
09 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese

# Directions:

01 - If using fresh red bell peppers, roast them over an open flame or under the broiler until the skin is charred. Place in a covered bowl and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel, deseed, and roughly chop.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add roasted red peppers to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pan. Blend until completely smooth.
05 - Return the blended sauce to the skillet over low heat. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. If sauce is too thick, add reserved pasta water gradually until desired consistency is reached.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Garnish with torn fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like something you'd order at a cozy Italian bistro, but you can make it in your pajamas on a weeknight.
  • The sauce is silky and rich without feeling heavy, and the sweetness of the peppers makes even picky eaters curious.
  • You probably have half the ingredients already, and the whole thing comes together faster than waiting for delivery.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have melted into each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, I learned this the hard way when my sauce seized up and I had nothing to loosen it.
  • Blend the sauce completely smooth, any chunks of pepper or onion will change the texture and make it feel less luxurious.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low, high heat can make it clump and turn grainy instead of melting into the cream.
03 -
  • Char your peppers until they're almost black, the deeper the roast, the sweeter and smokier your sauce will taste.
  • Toss the pasta in the sauce over low heat for a full minute before serving, it helps the noodles absorb the flavors instead of just wearing them.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a tablespoon of pasta water off the heat, it'll emulsify everything back together like magic.
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