Roasted Red Pepper Pantry Pasta (Printable View)

Creamy, vibrant pasta with sweet roasted red peppers and common pantry ingredients, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)

→ Sauce

02 - 1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small yellow onion, chopped
06 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable broth or pasta cooking water
08 - 1/4 cup cream cheese or mascarpone
09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
12 - Extra Parmesan cheese

# How-To Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, approximately 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1 minute.
03 - Add drained roasted red peppers to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Transfer skillet contents to blender. Add vegetable broth, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
05 - Return blended sauce to skillet over low heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add reserved pasta water if sauce needs thinning to achieve desired consistency.
06 - Add drained pasta to skillet and toss to coat thoroughly. Heat 1-2 minutes until hot. Serve immediately topped with fresh herbs and additional Parmesan.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns jarred peppers into something that tastes remarkably fancy
  • You probably have everything you need right now in your pantry
  • The sauce comes together faster than delivery would arrive
02 -
  • The sauce looks terrifyingly bright when blended but settles into this beautiful coral color
  • Pasta water is your secret weapon for adjusting consistency without diluting flavor
  • This sauce reheats surprisingly well if you have leftovers, though you probably will not
03 -
  • If your blender seems to be struggling, add a splash more broth to get things moving
  • Warm your serving bowl before plating to keep the pasta hotter longer

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