Description
This roasted red pepper pasta is a summer staple for me; think silky smooth sweet red pepper pasta sauce paired with penne rigate and parmesan. It’s simple, classic, and so easy to whip up on a busy weeknight!
Ingredients
Scale
Peppers & Aromatics
- 3 medium (420 g) red peppers, cut into large slices
- 1 medium (230 g) sweet white onion, cut into wedges
- 8 garlic cloves
- Olive oil and kosher salt for roasting
Other Ingredients
- 10 oz (255 g) penne rigate or any tube-shaped pasta
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1/2 cup (110 ml) cashew milk or any creamy milk
- 1/4 cup (45 ml) pasta water
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes*
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed**
- Finely grated parmesan or nutritional yeast for serving
Instructions
- Roast the peppers and aromatics. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper (which makes for easier cleanup). Add the red peppers, onion, and garlic cloves onto the sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and a generous sprinkle of kosher salt, and toss to coat. Roast the peppers and aromatics for 25-30 minutes or until the peppers and onions are slightly charred.
- Make the pasta. In parallel to roasting the peppers and aromatics, make the pasta according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, and then return the drained pasta to your pot along with the butter or olive oil. Stir to coat and cover.
- Bring the sauce together. Once the aromatics are done roasting, dump the peppers, onions, and any juice into a high-powered blender, along with the cashew milk, reserved pasta water, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper flakes, and kosher salt. Blend on low for 30 seconds, then ramp the speed up to medium and blend the sauce until creamy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes total.
- Mix with the pasta and serve. Pour all of the sauce over the pot of pasta, turn the stove on medium-low, and stir to coat the pasta until the sauce clings, about 3-4 minutes. Adjust for salt and serve the pasta with a generous handful of finely grated parmesan.
Notes
*The red pepper flakes add a good kick of heat to the sauce, so if you’re sensitive, use 1/2 tsp instead.
**I used a total of 2 tsp of salt, but adjust to your preference.