Creamy Red Pepper Pasta is a bright and fresh recipe made with roasted bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, and cashews tossed with your favorite noodles. This delicious no-cook sauce is simple to make, and this whole recipe comes together in about 20 minutes total!
This easy weeknight red pepper pasta is a healthy plant-based dinner idea the whole family will love. It’s great served with easy homemade garlic knots, and a giant chopped salad for a delicious meal ready in no time.
If you’ve never tried making pasta sauce with roasted red bell peppers before, this is the perfect introduction! Roasted red peppers are a fantastic alternative to tomatoes in this creamy red sauce, so perfect for pasta. I made a big batch of this sauce, tasted it, and knew it was begging to be poured onto pasta instead!
The sauce for this pasta comes together in about 5 minutes in the food processor, make this meal weeknight-friendly. A healthy and flavorful summer pasta sauce can be ready in no time by using jarred roasted red peppers too.
This Creamy Red Pepper Pasta Recipe Is:
- Bright
- Fresh
- Flavorful
- Smoky
- Tangy
- Delicious
- Ready in 30 Minutes
- Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten Free (if you are using GF pasta)
Make Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce For a Pantry Dinner
This bell pepper pasta recipe is a fantastic pantry-staple meal! It uses almost all ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards – especially if you have a jar of roasted red peppers you don’t know what to do with! Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious and healthy meals using a few staples you can rotate.
I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked. And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients in my Amazon shop here. By stocking up on healthy whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!
What’s In Bell Pepper Sauce Pasta?
- Garlic, Basil, Parsley – I stock up on organic produce with Misfits Market – they have a fantastic selection of in-season fruits & veggies, healthy pantry items, and great food finds for a fraction of grocery store prices! You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here!
- Rotini Pasta: I used this rotini for a fun twist, but you can use any pasta of your choice. And if you’re gluten free or cooking for someone who may be, this great GF rotini can be found here.
- Bell Pepper: If you don’t have fresh peppers, these sweet roasted red peppers are a great substitute! I love adding them to breakfast bakes, sandwiches or wraps, and soups.
- Aged Balsamic Vinegar: I use this aged balsamic vinegar because it has a really great flavor and a thick consistency perfect for drizzling on this recipe!
- Olive Oil: I like to use this delicious Zoe olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s fairly inexpensive, so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry. For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value, I would highly recommend!
- Cashews: I love raw unsalted cashews in this recipe – there’s no need to get roasted nuts, as the raw cashews make the perfect creamy addition to this recipe.
- Red Chili Pepper Flakes: for a little heat, which gives this sauce a nice touch.
How Do I Make Tomato Free Pasta Sauce?
- Cook the Pasta: according to package instructions. Drain, and set aside.
- Soak Cashews: place the cashews in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Roast the peppers – you can either use jarred roasted bell peppers, or make your own from scratch. Place bell peppers on the top rack of your oven, and broil them under the low broiler setting until flesh is charred (about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your broiler). Remove from oven, allow peppers to cool, and remove charred flesh.
- Add Ingredients – to a food processor, add the bell peppers, basil, garlic, drained cashews, chili flakes, and balsamic vinegar. Secure the lid, and begin processing over low speed. Open the top of the food processor and stream in the olive oil until the pepper sauce becomes a thick paste.
- Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Toss the sauce with the pasta, and heat over low until hot.
- Serve this pasta with garlic bread, and an extra sprinkle of basil or parsley for garnish.
Make Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce Vegan for a Healthy Version
This vegan Pepper pasta sauce is a simple way to get extra veggies in your diet. I’m all about making recipes plant-based when I can. Vegan cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around vegan pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make healthier meals for you and your family. I made a list of my 125 favorite vegan pantry ingredients that we use on a weekly basis, and check out all my vegan recipes here that are on The Herbeevore. These easy and healthy recipes are fantastic meatless and dairy free meals for your table.
More 30 Minute Pasta Dinners You’ll Love!
Instant Pot Noodles with Peanut Sauce (Vegetarian)
Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (Vegetarian)
Creamy Vegan Lemon Pasta Recipe (Dairy Free, Plant-Based)
Instant Pot Tortellini Soup Recipe (Vegetarian, High Protein)
Pasta Ratatouille Recipe (Dairy & Gluten Free)
Get the Same Ingredients for this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce:
As always, if you make this vegan and gluten free creamy red pepper pasta sauce recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Creamy Red Pepper Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta use certified Gluten Free if needed
- 12 ounces roasted red peppers drained
- 1 cup basil leaves or parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: according to package instructions. Drain, and set aside.
- Soak Cashews: place the cashews in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Roast the peppers - you can either use jarred roasted bell peppers, or make your own from scratch. Place bell peppers on the top rack of your oven, and broil them under the low broiler setting until flesh is charred (about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your broiler). Remove from oven, allow peppers to cool, and remove charred flesh.
- Add Ingredients - to a food processor, add the bell peppers, basil, garlic, drained cashews, chili flakes, and balsamic vinegar. Secure the lid, and begin processing over low speed. Open the top of the food processor and stream in the olive oil until the pepper sauce becomes a thick paste.
- Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Toss the sauce with the pasta, and heat over low until hot.
- Serve this pasta with garlic bread, and an extra sprinkle of basil or parsley for garnish.
Video
Notes
Save Money on Grocery Delivery!
I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market - they sell all organic produce at a super discounted price, and it’s purchased direct from the farmers. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! If you think organic produce is too expensive... think again, and give Misfits Market a look!Nutrition
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Grew up on my Italian mama’s pasta. Nice variation which is delicious