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This Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is a total flavor-packed comfort meal. It's super creamy, garlicky, spicy, and smoky-sweet.
It's bold, it's rich, this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is creamy carb heaven and it has that oomph that our taste buds crave!
I LOVE smoky roasted peppers and I'm a HUGE pasta lover. So, when my eyes came across this recipe by The Pioneer Woman, I just had to veganize it!
It has quickly become a family favorite. I serve it with my Vegan Mozzarella Cheese or these Fried Olives Stuffed with Roasted Garlic.
Simple ingredients
The ingredient list is not a short one, but it sure is a simple one. You might even have most of the ingredients in your kitchen now. Each ingredient pulls this dish together for a cheesy, creamy, spicy, zesty, garlicky, and fire-roasted flavor.
Here's what you'll need:
- Red bell peppers
- Penne rigate pasta
- Olive oil & vegan butter
- Onion & garlic
- Soy milk
- Vegetable broth
- Raw cashews
- Salt & pepper
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon juice
- Dried oregano, parsley, & crushed red pepper
- Tomato paste
- Fresh basil
* I highly recommend using fresh roasted peppers, but if you're in a pinch, you can definitely use the jarred variety too. It's still perfectly delicious!
How to roast peppers
I really love the sweet & refreshing taste of raw bell peppers, but roasting them creates a bold, smoky-sweet flavor that is out-of-this-world delicious.
Roasting them softens the flesh and enhances the sweetness of the peppers, while the charring infuses them with a deep smoky flavor. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. They are far superior to jarred roasted peppers and well worth the extra effort.
It's really simple to roast peppers. Just place them under the broiler because it's quicker, and the peppers really get charred up. I prefer to roast them whole and deseed them after, to keep them from drying out.
Plus, I can fit more on the baking sheet this way. I always make extra to have on hand for my favorite recipes like this Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich and this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.
You won't need anything fancy to get roasting, just some kitchen basics such as aluminum foil, baking sheet, oven mitts, tongs, large bowl, and of course, the yummy PEPPERS!
How to make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Once you've roasted the peppers, the rest is a breeze and takes about 15 minutes to make. If you roast the peppers ahead of time, it will be even easier, and you can enjoy a gourmet meal on busy weeknights. They store well in the fridge for about a week.
This is what you'll need to do:
- Boil pasta until al dente.
- Sauté onions, garlic, and spices. Add tomato paste.
- Blend the sauteéd onions and garlic, broth, soy milk, roasted peppers, cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt.
- Pour the blended cream sauce back into the pan and let it thicken up a bit.
- Add drained pasta to the pan. Gently toss to coat. Toss with fresh basil and top with fresh-cracked pepper, and vegan parmesan.
I'd love to hear from you
If you make this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, I'd love to hear what you think in the comment section below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don't miss it.
Recipe
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 large red bell peppers
- 1 pound penne rigate pasta
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ cup soy milk , unsweetened (or any plant-based milk)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup raw cashews
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt , more to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2-4 teaspoons lemon juice , fresh squeezed
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1.5 tablespoons tomato paste
- Fresh cracked pepper , to taste
- 1 cup fresh basil , chopped
Recommended Equipment
- Large Pot
- Colander
Instructions
Roasted Peppers
- Place oven rack in the highest position and turn on the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place whole peppers on the sheet 2 inches apart. Broil until the skin starts to blister & blacken. Using tongs, rotate peppers a quarter turn until all sides are charred, about 3-5 minutes each side. The peppers should be slightly collapsed and soft.
- Remove from oven and place peppers on a cutting board. Cover peppers with a large bowl or pot to steam them, about 5-10 minutes.
- When peppers are cool enough to handle, slice them vertically, and spread them open to make a long strip. Remove the stem and seeds. Flip the pepper over and remove charred skin. It should peel off easily. Set aside.
Pasta and Sauce
- If you don't have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix), you will need to soften the cashews first. To soften, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Place pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Drain, drizzle with oil and set aside.
- Heat oil in large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, smoked paprika, oregano, and parsley. Sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Now stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Drain and rinse cashews (discard soaking water). In a blender, add the cashews, cooked onions and garlic, then add the broth, soy milk, roasted peppers, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour sauce back into the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, until sauce slightly thickens up. Stir often to prevent burning (turn heat lower if necessary). Taste for seasoning, and add more if needed.
- Now add the pasta into the pan and gently toss to coat. Warm pasta in sauce for a few 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, toss with fresh basil and serve. Top with fresh-cracked pepper, and vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
Monica Hawkins
My family and I love roasted peppers AND pasta so this recipe seemed like a no brainer win! But I have to say we were disappointed. While it tasted good the flavor of roasted peppers did not come to through. I do, however, thank Vegan Huggs for teaching me how to roast the peppers in a broiler and no longer burn my fingers roasting them on the gas stove top burners!