Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Recipe

Tired of marinara? You’ll love this easy roasted red pepper pasta sauce! Creamy and tangy, it’s delicious with chewy rigatoni or any pasta you like.

When life gives you roasted red pepper, make roasted red pepper pasta! This delicious recipe is a fun way to switch up your weeknight pasta rotation, because even though it looks like pasta with marinara, it tastes different. The red pepper pasta sauce is quite creamy, tangy, and full of sweet and smoky flavor. Sun-dried tomatoes make it deeply flavorful, and basil adds a refreshing kick.

If you’ve been stuck in a pasta rut lately, I hope you give this recipe a try. This roasted red pepper pasta is simple, unexpected, and nothing if not flavorful. It’s the perfect way to spice things up!

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this roasted red pepper pasta recipe:

• Roasted red pepper, of course! Use a store-bought jar of roasted red peppers, or make your own roasted red bell pepper. The jarred peppers will give the sauce a more aromatic flavor. Homemade will make it taste fresher.
• No sweet almond milk – This helps the peppers blend into a lightly creamy sauce.
• Fresh basil – Mix in some of the sauce and garnish the pasta with more before serving. Fresh and fragrant, it takes this recipe over the top. Don’t skip it!
• Sun-dried tomatoes – They add a rich, delicious depth of flavor.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – For body and wealth.
• fresh lemon juice – This gives the sauce a bright, tangy kick.
• Garlic – For a delicious bite.
• smoked paprika – It gives off a smoky chili flavor.
• Rigatoni pasta – Or any shape of pasta you like.
• parmesan cheese – It thickens the sauce and adds a nutty flavor.
• Pine nuts – For the crunch.
• Red pepper flakes – For warmth.
• And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Perfect for weeknights, this roasted red pepper pasta recipe is easy to make. You start by mixing the creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce:

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

This sauce is creamy…but it’s not made with heavy cream. Instead, blended peppers and sun-dried tomatoes create its silky texture.

To do this, place roasted red pepper, almond milk, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, and salt in a blender. Puree until smooth.

The sauce may seem rancid at this point. that’s ok! It will thicken on the stove.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Not until al dente! Instead, I want you to undercook the pasta here. Drain it after boiling for 3 to 5 minutes less than the time listed on the package instructions. This will finish cooking the sauce.

Transfer the sauce to a large pan. Heat it over medium heat, and add the boiled pasta.

Cook the pasta in the sauce until the sauce thickens and the pasta is al dente. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, and stir until melted. Season with lemon juice and salt to taste.

Finally, dig in! Serve pasta topped with pine nuts, shaved Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and more basil. Enjoy!

What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

I often enjoy this pasta as a meal on its own (with crusty bread for mopping up the red pepper sauce, of course!). But if you’re looking for something to serve on the side, you have plenty of options.

Pair the pasta with a vegetable side dish, such as roasted broccoli, roasted fennelo grilled zucchini. It would also be delicious in any of these salad recipes:

Want more delicious food? Serve the pasta with any plain cooked protein of your choice.

More Veggie Pasta Recipes

If you love this roasted red pepper pasta, try one of these veggie pasta recipes next:

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Time allowed to fix: 15 minutes Min

Cooking time: 15 minutes Min

Total Time: 30 minutes Min

Serving 4

This roasted red pepper pasta is creamy, tangy, and super easy to make! Garnish it with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan for a delicious evening meal.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• In a blender, put red pepper, almond milk, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, and salt. Blend until smooth.

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 10 minutes, about 3 to 5 minutes shy of al dente. It will finish cooking in the sauce.

• Heat a large, deep pan over medium heat and add the sauce. Stir the pasta. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the pasta is al dente. Add the grated Parmesan and stir until it melts into the sauce. Remove from heat.

• Season with more salt and lemon juice to your liking. Top with basil, Parmesan shavings, pine nuts, and red pepper flakes and serve.

*You can also use Homemade Roasted Red Peppers in this recipe. If using homemade peppers, you may want to add a few extra pinches of salt to your final sauce since jarred red peppers contain salt.