Okay, listen up, because I found the answer to every single one of those dreaded ‘What’s for dinner?’ evenings that sneak up on you. When you’re tired, you want something that tastes like you spent hours coaxing flavor out of ingredients, but you only have about 45 minutes, right? Well, meet the heavy hitter: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta. This isn’t just a weeknight meal; it’s a game-changer. It’s naturally vegan, packed with this deep, smoky flavor from the peppers, and honestly, the sauce is so dreamy you won’t believe there’s no actual dairy in it. I throw this together at least twice a month now because it always gets rave reviews. Trust me, this specific recipe for Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is going to make your dinner rotation so much more exciting!
Why This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is Your New Go-To Meal
I know we all have those cookbooks full of impressive recipes that just sit there gathering dust. This one is different! You absolutely need this pasta in your weekly schedule because it ticks every single box. It’s fast, it’s deeply satisfying, and it hides a secret that makes it so good.
- It’s blazing fast—seriously, under 45 minutes total!
- The roasting step develops such a rich, sweet flavor profile that tastes complex.
- It fits just about any diet! It’s completely dairy-free, meaning no heavy cream needed.
- It’s so smooth, you’ll wonder how cashews pulled off that miracle. If you struggle with creamy sauces, I have a great companion recipe for creamy cajun sauce that uses a similar trick!
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Okay, getting the ingredients right is half the battle, especially with a sauce this minimalist. You want quality here because there’s nowhere for weak flavors to hide! I always make sure my cashews are ready to go because they are the powerhouse behind this whole operation. If you’re looking for alternatives to this cashew base, I have a guide on how to make heavy cream at home, but honestly, stick to the nuts for this one. These components combined create that beautiful vegan magic.
For the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce Base
You need the stars of the show here. Always remember to soak those raw cashews in hot water before you even think about blending—that’s non-negotiable for smoothness!
- Two large red bell peppers—these must be roasted first, remember that part!
- A half cup of raw cashews, soaked until soft, then drained.
- Nutritional yeast for that cheesy, savory kick. Don’t skip this!
- Two cloves of garlic, ready to add some punch.
- A small splash of vegetable broth to get things moving in the blender.
- Olive oil, salt, and black pepper to season everything just right.
For the Pasta Component
Pasta choice matters if you want the sauce to really cling perfectly. We need something sturdy enough to hold that rich coat.
- One full pound of pasta; I’m partial to penne or rigatoni because those ridges grab onto the sauce beautifully.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
This is where the magic happens! Don’t feel intimidated by the roasting part, it sounds fancy, but it’s really just controlled burning. If you keep your steps organized, you’ll have this wonderful, flavorful pasta ready to go faster than you think. I always use the time the peppers are roasting to get my cashews soaking—efficiency is key on busy weeknights!
Roasting and Preparing the Red Peppers
Start here because this takes the most hands-off time. You have two choices: stick those whole red peppers right over your gas flame (watch them like a hawk!) or slide them under a hot broiler. You want the skin blackened all over—truly charred. Once they look terrible, toss those hot babies into a bowl and cover it tight with plastic wrap immediately. That steam is crucial! Let them sit for 10 minutes. Then, it’s time for surgery: peel off that smoky skin, slice them open, scoop out all the seeds and stems. Easy peasy!
Cooking the Pasta and Blending the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
While your peppers are steaming, get that pasta cooking! As soon as it’s done, drain it, but please, please, please reserve about a half cup of that starchy cooking water. That water is liquid gold for blending. Now, dump your prepared peppers, those soaked and drained cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, broth, oil, and spices into your best high-speed blender. Blend it until it’s unbelievably smooth. If it seems like it’s struggling or it’s too thick—and it probably will be—just splash in a little of that reserved pasta water until it looks like the perfect sauce. It should coat the back of a spoon nicely. If you want a sauce as decadent as a classic, check out my homemade alfredo sauce recipe for inspiration!
Combining and Serving the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Time to bring it all together! Pour that gorgeous, vibrant sauce right over your drained pasta in a large bowl. Toss, toss, toss until every single piece of pasta has a beautiful coating. If, after tossing, you feel like it dried out just a tiny bit, add another tablespoon of that reserved pasta water until it loosens up again. Serve this right away while it’s hot and creamy!
Tips for Achieving the Best Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Texture
Listen, the texture of this sauce is what makes it legendary. We’re talking silky smooth, not gritty! The absolute key here is having a high-powered blender. If you’ve got one, use it! It completely obliterates those cashews, leaving you with that gorgeous mouthfeel that’s just impossible to get otherwise. Don’t try to rush the blending, either—let it run for a full minute or two until you can’t see any speckles.
Beyond the blending, remember that magical pasta water. That starchy liquid is like glue for sauce! If your finished dish seems a little tight after tossing, just stir in a tablespoon of the reserved water at a time until it loosens up and coats everything perfectly. It’s the difference between slightly dry pasta and heavenly, slick sauce.
Also, if you’re busy mid-week, just roast those peppers the night before! You can store the peeled peppers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to three days. Then, whipping up this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta tomorrow night is honestly a 20-minute job. How easy is that?
Variations for Your Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
While this recipe is perfection standing on its own—seriously, don’t mess with the base if you don’t have to—I totally understand wanting to switch things up now and then! It’s so flexible, which I love about it.
First things first: if you like things with a little kick, you absolutely must try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes directly into the blender with the other sauce ingredients. It adds this wonderful, slow burn that is phenomenal against the sweet roasted pepper. If you’re into spicy things, I also have a fantastic recipe for spicy honey ginger chicken bowls that might scratch that heat itch later in the week!
For texture and color, I often toss in some extra veggies at the very end, right after I combine the pasta and sauce. Wilted spinach is a classic addition—just toss it in, and the heat from the pasta will wilt it down in seconds. Another winner is adding some chopped sun-dried tomatoes (the ones packed in oil are best!). They give you these little bursts of intense, chewy flavor that contrast so nicely with the smoothness of the cashew cream sauce. It holds up beautifully for leftovers, too!
Serving Suggestions for Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
When you have a pasta this rich and flavorful, you don’t need a ton of fuss on the side, you just need something to balance it out. This sauce is so satisfying you might be tempted to eat it straight from the pot!
For a perfect weeknight spread, I always lean toward something light and green. A simple arugula salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil cuts through that creamy texture beautifully. And, of course, you absolutely need crusty bread—I mean, you have to have something to wipe up every last bit of that gorgeous sauce from the plate. You could even serve it alongside something unexpected like my recipe for homemade guacamole if you’re feeling adventurous!
Storage and Reheating Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is actually fantastic as leftovers, which is a huge plus for meal prepping, right? When you have extra, just let it cool completely first, then store it in a good, airtight container. I usually aim for a container that lets me fit just one serving so I’m not tempted to eat too much the next day!
Here’s the thing you need to remember: because we used cashews and that starchy pasta water, the sauce will definitely tighten up a lot once it gets cold in the fridge. Don’t panic when you pull it out and it looks more like a dense casserole than pasta! That’s totally normal for cashew-based sauces.
When you go to reheat it, you absolutely need to thin it out again. I recommend adding a splash or two of fresh water or maybe some plain, unsweetened plant milk if you have it. Reheat it slowly on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until it loosens up and gets creamy again. Microwaving works too, but you have to stir it halfway through so the heat distributes evenly and you don’t end up with hot and cold spots!
Frequently Asked Questions About Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
I totally get it—when you find a recipe you love, you start having all these brilliant ideas about changing it up or fitting it into tricky situations. Here are a few things folks ask me all the time about making sure their vegan pasta dreams come true with this recipe!
Can I substitute the cashews in this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta?
That’s a big question, especially if someone has allergies! The cashews are truly what give us that luxurious, almost cheesy texture in the cashew cream sauce base, so it’s hard to replace them perfectly. If you need a nut-free version, absolutely try soaked sunflower seeds instead—they blend up surprisingly well, though the color might change slightly to a more golden hue.
You can also try using soaked white beans, but you’ll definitely need to use more nutritional yeast and maybe a touch more oil because beans don’t have the same natural fat content as cashews. They work, but you might have to play around with the liquid ratio!
How do I make the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta sauce without roasting peppers?
Oh, the mid-week crunch! If you are running super short on time, you can totally use jarred roasted red peppers. It saves you about 20 minutes of active time, which is huge! Make sure you buy the ones packed in water or maybe a little oil, not a heavy marinade.
My only warning about using jarred peppers is that they are already sitting in liquid, so you’ll need to be careful adding that extra vegetable broth or pasta water during blending. Start with half the liquid the recipe calls for, then work your way up slowly until you hit that perfect consistency. It comes together so quickly this way!
If you are curious about other creamy meals, I have a fantastic recipe for creamy garlic mushroom risotto that is completely decadent, too!
Nutritional Snapshot of This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
I’m not a registered dietitian, so take these numbers with a grain of salt—literally, maybe add a little salt when you re-heat it! But it’s always fun to see what you’re working with, especially for a satisfying dinner like this! Because this recipe uses whole, plant-based ingredients, you get this incredible payoff in protein and fiber without any cholesterol sneaking in.
Keep in mind that these are just estimates based on the core ingredients I use, and if you swap out the pasta or use a different kind of oil, things will shift slightly! If you want a lower fat version, you might want to check out how to make a very basic heavy cream substitute that uses less oil, though honestly, the fat here makes it taste so good!
- Calories: About 550 per serving
- Protein: A solid 25 grams! That’s amazing for a pasta dish.
- Fat: About 18 grams (mostly healthy fats from the nuts).
- Carbohydrates: Around 85 grams.
- Sugar: Very low, just around 7 grams.
See? That’s a powerhouse meal! It manages to be rich, creamy, and filling while still being great for you. It’s one of those rare meals that tastes like cheating but is secretly super wholesome.
Print
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A simple recipe for pasta coated in a rich, creamy sauce made from roasted red peppers.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (penne or rigatoni recommended)
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Roast the red peppers: Place peppers directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning until the skin is completely blackened. Place hot peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Peel off the skin, remove seeds and stems.
- Soak the cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes, then drain.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- In a high-speed blender, combine the roasted peppers, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, vegetable broth, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Add a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
- Toss the drained pasta with the sauce until fully coated. Add more reserved pasta water if needed to reach your desired consistency. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a spicier sauce, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the blender.
- You can roast the peppers ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 85
- Fiber: 9
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: creamy pasta, roasted red pepper, vegan sauce, cashew cream, vegetarian dinner