Description
Creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce brings Mediterranean warmth to your dinner table with minimal effort. Rich Italian flavors blend smoothly, offering comfort and zest you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 (16 ounces / 454 grams) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 12 ounces (340 grams) cooked pasta of choice
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquid and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or grated parmesan
Seasonings:
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium temperature, gently sautéing diced onions until they become translucent and fragrant, releasing their natural sweetness.
- Introduce minced garlic to the skillet, allowing it to bloom and infuse the aromatics with its pungent essence without burning.
- Incorporate roasted red peppers and tomato paste into the mixture, letting the ingredients meld together and develop a rich, complex flavor profile.
- Transfer the aromatic mixture to a high-powered blender, creating a smooth canvas for the sauce’s transformation.
- Pour in plant milk, sprinkle red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to elevate the sauce’s depth and complexity.
- Add nutritional yeast or parmesan for an umami undertone, blending until the sauce reaches a silky, uniform consistency.
- Carefully return the velvety sauce to the skillet, warming it gently to preserve its vibrant flavors and ensure optimal texture.
- Taste and fine-tune the seasoning, allowing personal preference to guide the final flavor balance.
- Combine the sauce with freshly cooked pasta, ensuring each strand is luxuriously coated with the vibrant red pepper blend.
- Plate the pasta, garnishing with a sprinkle of fresh herbs to add a bright, aromatic finishing touch.
Notes
- Swap onions for shallots to enhance the sweet, mellow flavor profile of the sauce.
- Use roasted garlic instead of raw to add deeper, caramelized undertones and reduce potential sharpness.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting red pepper flakes – start with a pinch and gradually increase for personalized spiciness.
- Create a dairy-free version by using nutritional yeast or cashew cream instead of traditional dairy products, making the sauce suitable for vegan diets.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg