20-Minute Pasta With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This hearty dish with roasted red pepper pasta sauce is the perfect vegan comfort food! Not only do you get to enjoy a big bowl of pasta, but it is covered in an amazing, flavorful sauce. Dinner in 20 minutes? YES, please!
Coming in with something super easy for you today: a 20-minute pasta recipe with a homemade roasted red pepper sauce.
This is the recipe you’ll want to save for nights when you are craving pasta, but don’t want to put in much effort.This roasted red pepper sauce is rich and savory and the perfect alternative to tomato-based pasta. It is so good that no one would ever suspect that it was vegan-friendly!
The sauce comes together with a few pantry ingredients, then tossed with whole-wheat penne. When I said this was easy, I meant it. You can throw this pasta sauce together while the noodles themselves are cooking, which makes for a fast and delicious homemade meal.Not only does it make for a delicious and quick dinner, but this pasta also makes great leftovers! In fact, it might be even more flavorful the next day.
Ingredients for Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy red pepper pasta sauce:
- 1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12 ounces penne, regular or whole-wheat
Instructions for how to make this vegan red pepper pasta recipe
This sauce is ready in just minutes, all you need is a blender or food processor.
Blend the sauce.
Place the drained roasted red bell peppers, soy milk, olive oil, salt, garlic, tahini, red pepper flakes and nutritional yeast in a blender and puree until creamy. Season to taste as needed with salt/pepper and add to a large skillet.
Simmer the sauce.
Simmer the sauce over medium low heat while you make the pasta.
Cook the pasta.
Place the pasta in boiling, salted water and cook until under al-dente, about 1-2 minutes before the recommended time on the package. The pasta should be still pretty toothy, but not hard.
Toss the pasta with the sauce.
Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce on the stove and cook, adding a splash of pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce as needed as you toss the sauce with the pasta to finish cooking.
Time to eat!
Divide into bowls and eat.
Variations and Substitutions
- For a splash of green, like seen here in these photos. Add in either fresh basil leaves (or other fresh herbs, like parsley) or torn spinach as you toss the pasta with the sauce. The heat from the pasta water will wilt the greens.
- For extra texture, sauté 1/2 cup finely diced onion with olive oil until very tender, then add the sauce.
- Red pepper flakes add great heat, I usually add a pinch when I’m pureeing the sauce, then 1/4 teaspoon after serving.
- Parmesan cheese, either regular or dairy-free, is great on this red pepper pasta sauce as well.
- Any pasta will work, though I prefer a shorter tube pasta like elbows, shells or penne to soak up all the yummy sauce. A gluten-free pasta can also work.
- For a heartier meal, add in some cooked vegan Italian sausage to the pan. I prefer Field Roast or Beyond brands, but any will work.
What to Serve With Pasta in Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
I LOVE me a big bowl of pasta, especially as a dinner after a long day of work. This roasted red pepper sauce pasta is full of flavor and goes great on its own, but why not step it up a little?You could take this saucy pasta dish to the next level by serving it alongside a side of crusty rosemary bread. For extra veggies, you could also serve it with a nice Italian chopped salad for freshness. Don’t forget the tangy Italian dressing!
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm the pasta in the microwave or a saucepan. This sauce will thicken considerably as it cools. To thin the red pepper sauce, add in a splash of water or non-dairy milk as you heat the pasta.
More Vegan Pasta Recipes
- Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Vegan Tomato Basil Pasta
- 15-Minute Vegan Pad Thai
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Easy 20 Minute Vegan Pasta
I hope you enjoy this roasted red pepper sauce as much as we do. If you try it, make sure to come back, leave a comment and rate it. Your feedback helps others and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Vegan 20-Minute Pasta With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Equipment
- Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 12 ounces penne, regular or whole-wheat
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat.
- Place the drained roasted red peppers, soy milk, olive oil, salt, garlic, tahini, red pepper flakes and nutritional yeast in a and puree until creamy. Season to taste as needed with salt/pepper and add to a large. Simmer over medium heat while you make the pasta.
- Place the pasta in the water and cook until under al-dente, about 1-2 minutes before the recommended time on the package. The pasta should be still pretty toothy, but not hard.
- Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce on the stove and cook, adding a splash of pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce as needed as you toss the sauce with the pasta to finish cooking.
- Divide into 4 bowls and eat.
This recipe was, as are all f your recipes, incredible. My husband and I have been exploring plant based diet and recipes. Your recipes have all been fabulous, including this. My husband was skeptical about our meatless Mondays but has found himself enjoying these vegan meals and not missing the meat at all!
So glad you liked it! Thanks, Paula!
Going to try this so excited! Do you think cashew or almond milk would work the same as soy milk?
Yes, I think that cashew would be best followed by almond. As long as it’s unsweetened, it should work! I like the soy because it gives more body than almond but all should work OK!
Easy and delicious! Will make again!
So glad you liked it! Thanks!
Sorry to be a negative comment, but I didn’t at all enjoy this recipe! I’m not sure why, everything sounded so good together. Maybe the tahini with the nutritional yeast is too funky? Maybe the garlic should be roasted before it’s blended in the sauce? It had this kind of metallic weird after-bite that was not at all pleasant. My 1 year old loved it haha so points for that! But my husband and I couldn’t eat it. Any ideas what I did wrong?
Hi Jessie– with the metallic after taste I wonder if it’s the tahini? I find that when I use different tahinis it makes a big difference in overall taste. My favorites are Soom and Krinos. Do you notice a metallic after taste when you try the tahini on it’s own?
What does the tahini do? What would you think of almond butter instead of tahini?
It makes the sauce a little more creamy. I think you could use almond butter in it, but not sure as I haven’t tried it!
just made this and it is DEEEElicious! I’m always surprised by the variety of recipes that Tahini jumps into, and the ways it compliments a dish.
Unfortunately I had to whittle down the garlic quantity for my fussy under 5s. But I’m sure they’re gonna love it..
Or I’ll just enjoy eating theirs ;P
This was a really nice dish. It was creamy and smooth thanks to your tip. I was able to put it together quickly, so it’ll be a go-to on my menu planner now. Thank you.
So glad you liked it! Thanks Allison!
This was absolutely delicious. Thank you for this great recipe.
Thanks Pauline! I’m glad you liked it!
This was fantastic! My husband raved about it and went back for seconds. He is not a vegetarian either. Alex I have not made one thing of yours that hasn’t been a hit. I have your cookbook as well.
Thank you so much Michelle; that comment made my day! Enjoy! xo
I’ve tried several other roasted red pepper sauces and always felt like they weren’t very flavorful, or were missing something. I’m determined to find the best one as I’ve recently developed a tomato allergy so no traditional spaghetti sauce here 🙁 🙁 🙁 My family really enjoyed this one! Approved by mom, dad, 9 year old, and 11 month old! It whipped up in a jiffy (as long as it takes the noodles to cook). Topped ours with hemp hearts.
Awesome! So glad you liked it Katie!