Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant pasta with blended roasted red peppers, cream, garlic, and Parmesan. Vegetarian, easy, and ready in 35 minutes.

# 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 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

# Method:

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 bowl, cover, and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the skin, remove seeds, and roughly chop.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced 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. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. Add reserved pasta water if sauce becomes too thick.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until evenly coated.
07 - Transfer to serving bowls immediately. Garnish with torn fresh basil and additional grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The sauce is naturally sweet and smoky without any added sugar, just the flavor of roasted peppers doing all the work.
  • It comes together in about half an hour, but tastes like you spent the whole afternoon cooking.
  • The creamy texture feels indulgent, but you can make it lighter or even vegan without losing that rich, comforting quality.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the sauce even works as a dip or spread the next day.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it contains starch that helps the sauce cling to the noodles and creates a silky texture.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pasta, it should be slightly overseasoned on its own because the pasta will dilute the flavor.
  • If your peppers are too charred, the sauce can taste bitter, so peel away all the blackened skin carefully.
03 -
  • Roast extra peppers and keep them in olive oil in the fridge, they are incredible on sandwiches, in omelets, or blended into dips.
  • Use an immersion blender if you have one, it saves time and cleanup, and you can control the texture right in the pan.
  • If the sauce splits or looks oily, a spoonful of pasta water whisked in will bring it back together instantly.
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