Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
This creamy and savory Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce is a pasta lover's dream! It's comforting, easy to make, and delicious tossed with almost any pasta. Ready in 30 minutes and family-friendly!
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry pasta long pasta (linguine, spaghetti, fettucine, or bucatini) or short (farfalle, radiatore, bucatini corti, gemmeli, or orecchiette)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chopped onion white or yellow
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ cup half-and-half or heavy cream
- 1 12 oz jar jar roasted red peppers drained; or 1 ½ roasted red peppers, seeded and peeled + 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese plus additional to garnish
- chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions in heavily salted water.
- While you cook the pasta, make the pasta sauce: heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, stirring frequently, just until golden.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Carefully add the onion mixture to a blender or food processor with the chicken broth, half-and-half or cream, drained roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, and salt. Blend on medium speed for 15-30 seconds or until smooth and creamy.
- Return the sauce to the skillet and simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring it periodically until reduced and your desired thickness.
- Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. And black pepper and season the sauce to taste with additional salt.
- Toss the sauce with freshly cooked pasta and serve hot. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese or chopped parsley or basil to garnish.
Notes
Recipe Pro-Tip:
- Don't burn the garlic. It can burn quickly, so keep an eye on it as it cooks, stirring it frequently and removing it from the heat as soon as it turns golden brown.
- Drain the peppers. If using bottled peppers, you drain off most of the briny packing liquid. Though some of the brine adds delicious flavor, too much will make the sauce sour or too loose.
- Simmer until thickened. Cook the roasted red pepper pasta sauce over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring it periodically, until it is your ideal thickness. I prefer a thick and velvety sauce, so I usually similar closer to 15 minutes.
- Refrigeration: The sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: The sauce freezes best when not tossed with pasta, as the texture of pasta can be compromised upon defrosting. Cool the sauce to room temperature before transferring it to a freezer-safe bag and freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight or in a saucepan over low heat, stirring it periodically until hot.
- Reheating: Warm the sauce on gentle heat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 308kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 10gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 516mgPotassium: 214mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 312IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
