Roasted Red Pepper Pasta has quickly become one of my very favorite pasta dishes. Not only is it extremely flavorful and indulgent, but it couldn't be easier to make! It's got a kick of spice that can be customized from barely any to HOT, and is balanced out by heavy whipping cream which also makes this sauce incredibly silky. I also love the flavor of roasted red peppers. Jump to Recipe
What do roasted red peppers taste like?
Roasted red peppers are essentially bell peppers which have been roasted. The have a sweet taste but with some char from the roasting (where you'll see black spots on them) that's delicious. I use them in a variety of pasta, soups, sandwiches and even as a pizza topping! You can make them yourself in the oven if you have red peppers on hand, but I usually buy them jarred.
What's in Roasted Red Pepper Pasta?
Aside from the roasted red peppers and heavy whipping cream I already mentioned, you'll also need shallot (or yellow onion), garlic, dry white wine (like Chardonnay), chicken (or vegetable) broth, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (optional) and fresh Parmesan. For the noodles I went with Calamarata, because they just looked fun. Really any noodle will do!
What are Calamarata noodles?
Originating from Naples in Southern Italy, Calamarata is a thick ring-like pasta. I love it for a thick sauce like roasted red pepper as it really coats the inside of the noodle and is great for sopping up more sauce.
How to make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta:
To make this delicious dish, bring a large pot of water to boil for the noodles. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and roasted red peppers. Add wine and reduce by half.
Dump contents of skillet into a food processor or blender and mix together smooth. Transfer back to the same skillet. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a slight boil. Stir in salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Now here is where the customization comes in. If you don't like spicy, leave out the flakes. If you do, start with ¼ teaspoon and add more depending on how hot you like it. I love spicy, so I typically toss in ½ - 1 tsp. Cover and cook until sauce has thickened.
Stir in cream and cook for a couple more minutes on low. Then turn off heat and stir in cheese.
Once your pasta is cooked, drain and then add to the skillet with the sauce.
Stir well to combine. Toss in some fresh parsley and mix if desired.
Dish up and top with some freshly shaved Parmesan and fresh ground pepper. YUM. I like to serve some crusty bread on the side, because why not add more carbs?
How to store Roasted Red Pepper Pasta:
This dish makes GREAT leftovers. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and simply heat up in the microwave or on the stove. The recipe makes a large amount, so unless you're feeding the whole family I'm sure you'll have leftovers! Or you can halve the portions.
If you like this recipe you might also enjoy:
https://www.cuisineandcocktails.com/roasted-red-pepper-hummus/
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 shallot chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 jars roasted red peppers sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon butter
- ½ cup white wine dry (i.e. Chardonnay)
- 1 cup chicken broth (or stock)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional), leave out or add more to taste
- ¼ cup heavy whipped cream
- ⅔ cup fresh Parmesan grated, extra shavings to top
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (optional)
- 1 package Calamarata noodles (or any kind)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add shallot. Saute 3 minutes.
- Add garlic. Saute 1 minute.
- Add roasted red peppers. Saute 3 more minutes.
- Add wine. Stir and cook ½ off.
- Transfer contents of skillet to food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Return to same skillet. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to boil.
- Stir in salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in cream and simmer 2 more minutes.
- Turn off heat and stir in Parmesan until incorporated.
- After pasta is cooked, drain and add to sauce. Mix well.
- Add fresh parsley and mix.
- Serve topped with fresh Parmesan shavings.
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