Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

This roasted red pepper pasta bursts with bright, smoky flavor and creamy richness in just 15 minutes!

You won’t believe this comforting, flavorful pasta sauce is ready to go by the time the pasta is done boiling! To make it, I simply blend roasted red peppers, spices, and aromatics with whole milk to make a super silky, creamy sauce.

The easy sauce tastes like date night at an Italian restaurant! It’s so rich and velvety, it reminds me of a classic Italian-American Penne alla Vodka but with the distinctly Mediterranean flavors of a Spanish Romesco. You can roast the peppers yourself for a freshly charred flavor, but the jarred kind work great too.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This roasted red pepper pasta recipe uses Mediterranean pantry staples, many of which are likely already living in your kitchen. If not, they’re all easy to source. You’ll need: 

• Pasta: I love ridged rigatoni for this recipe, which captures the delicious sauce in all its nooks and crannies. That said, you can swap with in any pasta you have on hand. 
• Olive oil: Our peppery Spanish Hojiblanca pairs well with the smoky peppers, but any high-quality extra virgin variety you have on hand works.
• Garlic: Adds bold flavor to the pasta sauce. Substitute with onion or shallot.
• Red peppers: Roast the peppers yourself or use jarred to save time.
• Milk: Gives a nice body and creaminess to the sauce. For a vegan option, use unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk and leave off the cheese.
• Seasoning: Dried oregano, sweet or smoked Spanish paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper are the flavor-makers of this easy pasta sauce. 
• Parmesan: Ads a deeply savory umami flavor. Swap with Pecorino.
• Basil: Adds a pop of color and freshness to the pasta. Parsley is the best substitute here.

How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

This roasted red pepper pasta recipe is quick and easy—it’s done in the amount of time it takes to boil the pasta. To make it: 

• Get your roasted red peppers ready. Roast 3 large bell peppers (follow our guide: Roasted Peppers (Two Ways!). Or, thoroughly drain and pat dry one 15-ounce jar of roasted red bell peppers. 
• Boil the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil and season generously with kosher salt (about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon). Add 12 ounces of rigatoni and bring back to boil. Stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package instructions, about 9 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. 
• Meanwhile, soften the garlic. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Add 4 crushed garlic cloves and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer both the garlic and olive oil to a food processor with the blade attachment.
• Add the roasted peppers. If you roasted the peppers yourself, remove the skin and seeds and roughly chop. Add the peppers to the food processor, along with 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/2 teaspoon each of oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. 
• Combine the pasta and sauce. Return the drained pasta to the saucepan and pour the sauce over top. Turn the heat to low and add 1/4 cup of grated parmesan. Use a wooden spoon to mix well so that the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Mix in the reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, as necessary until the pasta is nicely glossy (you likely won’t need all of the water). 
• Serve. Divide the pasta among serving bowls and top with fresh basil and more parmesan cheese, if you like. 

What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Roasted red pepper pasta is a nutritious, filling meal all on its own. But if you’d like a side, go for something crunchy and fresh, like this lemon parmesan lettuce salad. For dessert, keep the Spanish vibes going with Churros con Chocolate!

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4.90 from 67 votes

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

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Suzy Karadsheh

This easy pasta recipe is creamy, slightly smoky, and so comforting and delicious. It’s reason enough to roast some red bell peppers. But if you'd rather save time with the jarred variety, no judgment here! Just make sure to drain them well.

Prep – 5 minutes mins

Cook – 10 minutes mins

Total – 15 minutes mins

Cuisine:

Italian

Serves – 4

Course:

Dinner, Entree

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 12 ounces ridged rigatoni
• ▢ Extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 4 large garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• ▢ 3 large roasted red peppers, homemade or 15-ounce jar roasted red peppers
• ▢ 1/2 cup whole milk or milk of your choice
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika, sweet or smoked
• ▢ Kosher salt
• ▢ Black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup grated parmesan, more to your liking
• ▢ Handful fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

 

• Boil the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of water (about 4 quarts) to a rolling boil and season generously with kosher salt (about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon). Add the pasta and bring back to boil. Stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package instructions, about 9 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
• Soften the garlic. While the pasta is cooking, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the garlic and olive oil to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade.
• Add the roasted peppers. If you roasted the peppers yourself, remove the skin and seeds and roughly chop. If you’re using a jar, drain them well and pat them dry. Add the peppers to the food processor, along with the milk, oregano, paprika, and a big pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Blend until smooth.
• Combine the pasta and sauce. When the pasta is ready, remember to reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain. Return the pasta to the saucepan and pour the sauce over top. Turn the heat to low and add the parmesan. Stir to mix well so the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. Mix in the reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, as necessary until the pasta is nicely glossy (you likely won’t need all of the water).
• Serve. Divide the pasta among serving bowls and top with fresh basil and more parmesan cheese, if you like.

Video

Notes

• Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
• If you’re roasting the peppers yourself, make a big batch to use all week! Save the extras for Shopska Salad (Bulgarian Roast Pepper And Tomato Salad), Muhammara, Focaccia Sandwiches, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.
• Put some muscle into it when you stir pasta with sauce! The starchy pasta and pasta water will combine with the sauce and bind with the pasta to make it extra rich and delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 68.1gProtein: 14.4gFat: 4.2gSaturated Fat: 1.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.8gCholesterol: 9.1mgSodium: 506.7mgPotassium: 308.3mgFiber: 3.3gSugar: 3.8gVitamin A: 375.4IUVitamin C: 13.8mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 1.6mg

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.