Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is a quick and flavorful dish that combines rigatoni with a smooth, smoky red pepper sauce. Sautéed onions and garlic are blended with roasted red peppers, milk, and Parmesan to create a creamy sauce that clings to the pasta perfectly.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Rigatoni pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jar roasted red pepper 15 oz
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup parmesan grated
Instructions
- Cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta, you will use the pasta water to adjust the sauce’s thickness later.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- In a blender, combine the sautéed onion and garlic, roasted red peppers, milk, paprika, and salt. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Pour the blended red pepper sauce back into the pan over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then add the Parmesan cheese, stirring until it’s fully melted and the sauce is creamy. If the sauce looks too thick, add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency.
- Add the cooked rigatoni to the pan with the sauce, tossing well to coat each piece of pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more pasta water until it clings perfectly to the pasta.
- Plate the pasta and top with more parmesan cheese if desired.
Video
Notes
You can roast red bell peppers at home instead of using jarred. To do so, follow these instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Wash and dry 5 red bell peppers and cut them in half, make sure to remove the seeds and membranes.
- Place the peppers on the baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Roast them for 20 to 25 minutes until they are soft and the skin is slightly charred.
- Once roasted, transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl and cover with a plastic wrap for the peppers to steam, this would make the peeling easier.
- Peel the peppers and use them in the recipe as instructed.
Nutrition
Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 1116mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 563IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1mg