Roasted Red Pepper Pantry Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant creamy pasta with sweet roasted red peppers and pantry staples. Ready in 30 minutes for an easy vegetarian dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)

→ Sauce

02 - 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, chopped
06 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth or pasta cooking water
08 - 1/4 cup cream cheese or mascarpone
09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
12 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How to Prepare:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add drained roasted red peppers to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Transfer skillet contents to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add vegetable broth, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
05 - Return blended sauce to skillet over low heat. Season with salt and pepper. If too thick, add reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
06 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss thoroughly to coat. Heat for 1-2 minutes until hot. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms humble pantry staples into a restaurant-quality sauce in under 30 minutes
  • The sauce comes out impossibly creamy without any heavy cream
  • Perfect for those nights when you want something impressive but have zero energy to shop
02 -
  • The sauce thickens as it cools, so keep that pasta water handy to loosen it up
  • Immersion blenders create way less mess than transferring hot sauce to a regular blender
  • This sauce actually tastes better the next day, so double the recipe if you want leftovers
03 -
  • Don't skip the pasta water—it helps the sauce cling to every piece
  • Taste the peppers before blending, as some brands are saltier than others
  • If the sauce tastes too sweet, a splash of vinegar or lemon juice brings balance

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