Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

This Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is a total flavor-packed comfort meal. It's super creamy, garlicky, spicy and smoky-sweet.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 441kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

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 , reduced-sodium
½ cup raw cashews
¾ teaspoon kosher 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

US Customary - Metric

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!

Video

Notes

Timing: I like to start the sauce around the same time as the pasta. This way the pasta isn't sitting too long, and it will be hot & fresh when it goes into the sauce. If pasta is taking longer than expected and your sauce is done, turn the heat on low or remove and cover for a few minutes.

Jarred Peppers: If you don't have time to roast the peppers, you can definitely use jarred roasted peppers. I highly recommend using fresh roasted peppers, but jarred is the next best thing and it will still be delicious! Replace the fresh with two 12 oz jars. Drain well.

Tip - I roast the peppers ahead of time and leave them in the fridge. I always make extra too. They will last for about a week. It makes life really easy and I use them for so many recipes like soups, sandwiches, sauces, dips appetizers, and more.

Nutrition