Roasted Red Pepper Pantry Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant, creamy pasta with sweet roasted red peppers and everyday pantry ingredients, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

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

→ Sauce

02 - 1 (12 oz) jar 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 (optional)
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 more for serving (optional)
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Everything can be made from ingredients you probably already have on hand
  • The vibrant color makes it feel fancy enough for dinner guests
02 -
  • Always save more pasta water than you think you need, since the sauce thickens as it sits and you might want to loosen it up
  • Let the sauce cool slightly before blending if you are using a standard blender to avoid pressure buildup
  • The cream cheese is what makes this sauce luxurious without any heavy cream
03 -
  • Use the pasta water rather than plain broth for an even silkier texture
  • Let the sauce sit for a minute off the heat before serving to let it thicken slightly

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