Description
Creamy, smoky, and vibrant, this roasted red pepper pasta is a comforting weeknight dinner that’s packed with flavor and comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large roasted red peppers (or 1 jar, about 12 oz)
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add roasted red peppers to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender.
- Add heavy cream, parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet. Warm it over low heat. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat.
- If needed, add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Adjust seasoning as desired.
- Top with fresh basil and more parmesan before serving.
Notes
- Use jarred roasted red peppers for convenience, but homemade works great too.
- Add a spoonful of butter at the end for extra richness.
- To make it vegan, use cashew cream and nutritional yeast instead of dairy.
- This dish pairs beautifully with a green salad or garlic bread.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 590mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 45mg