Description
This pasta with roasted red pepper sauce recipe is simple to make and full of that great roasted red pepper flavor we all love!
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Ingredients:
- 1 pound (16 oz.) pasta (I used whole-wheat penne pasta)
- roasted red pepper sauce (see below)
- (optional toppings: extra chopped fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts)
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 jar (15.5 Ounces) roasted red peppers
- 1 small white onion, diced (about 1 cup diced)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, more/less to taste
- 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup roughly-chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
- (**see optional add-ins in note below**)
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente in a pot of generously-salted boiling water, according to package instructions. (See below for optimal timing suggestions for cooking the pasta and the sauce.)
- As your pasta water is heating up to a boil, make the roasted red pepper sauce. Using a blender or food processor, add roasted red peppers (with juices), onion and garlic and pulse until combined and smooth.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Pour in the roasted red pepper mixture, and saute for 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to simmer. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients (stock, honey, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper and basil), and bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the sauce simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until your pasta is done.
- (Timing-wise, I typically add the dried pasta to the pot of water to begin cooking once my sauce has reached a simmer. That way the sauce gets to simmer for the amount of time it takes to cook the pasta.)
- Once your pasta reaches al dente, drain it and transfer the pasta to the saute pan of sauce. Toss to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with extra toppings if desired.
Notes
**Sauce Alternatives**
Want to make your sauce spicier? Add an extra half teaspoon (or whole teaspoon) of crushed red chili flakes.
Want to make your sauce smokier? Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Want to make your sauce sweeter? Add an extra tablespoon or two of honey.
Recipe slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman.