Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (Printable)

Velvety roasted red pepper sauce with garlic, cream, and Parmesan. Ready in 30 minutes. Vegetarian and easily customizable.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or fettuccine pasta

→ Sauce

02 - 1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley
12 - Additional Parmesan cheese for serving

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
03 - Transfer sautéed onion and garlic to a blender or food processor. Add drained roasted red peppers, heavy cream, Parmesan, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth and creamy.
04 - Return the sauce to the skillet over low-medium heat. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Add drained pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat with sauce. If needed, add reserved pasta water a little at a time to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish immediately with basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in literally five minutes using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry
  • That velvety texture makes everything feel indulgent without requiring any actual culinary skill
  • Jarred peppers do all the heavy lifting for flavor, so you look like a genius with zero effort
02 -
  • Drain those red peppers really well—excess liquid will make your sauce thin and watery instead of luscious and creamy
  • Blend the sauce longer than you think you need to; any chunks of onion or pepper will distract from that smooth texture
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon for adjusting consistency without diluting the flavor
03 -
  • Use a high-speed blender if you have one; it makes a noticeable difference in achieving that restaurant-smooth texture
  • Taste the sauce before adding salt—the Parmesan and jarred peppers might already be salty enough
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