Roasted red pepper pasta
Penne with a smooth sauce made from jarred roasted peppers and a little cream.
Serving illustration.
Penne with a smooth sauce made from jarred roasted peppers and a little cream. This version is written for two people, with ingredient quantities that you can scale using the recipe card. Read the whole method before heating your pan so you can prepare the ingredients in the order they are used. Cooking times are estimates and should be checked against the doneness cues in the instructions.
What makes this dinner work
Jarred roasted peppers make this a short method; raw peppers are not a direct substitute. Drain the jar liquid so it does not dominate the sauce.
Blend the cool ingredients before they go into the pan. If you choose to blend a hot sauce instead, follow your blender manufacturer’s hot-liquid instructions.
Before you start
A blender is needed for a smooth sauce. Parmesan is optional for flavor; choose a suitable cheese if you follow a strict vegetarian diet.
Measure the sauce ingredients and prepare the vegetables before handling any raw meat or seafood. Keep the ingredient list beside you: changes in thickness, pan size and stove output can affect the cooking time. When multiplying servings, a second pan or separate batches may work better than crowding everything into the original pan.
Cooking and handling notes
Follow the preparation directions on packaged ingredients. Keep cooked food and preparation utensils separate from any raw animal ingredients in the kitchen.
The CDC guidance linked below covers keeping hands and surfaces clean, separating raw foods and refrigerating perishable food promptly. Check ingredient labels for allergies, including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and seafood where relevant.
Roasted red pepper pasta
Prep and cooking times are estimates.
Ingredients
How to make it
- Cook pastaCook penne by its package instructions. Reserve ½ cup cooking water before draining.
- Blend peppersDrain roasted peppers well and blend with cream until smooth. This step is done before heating the sauce.
- Warm garlicHeat oil in a skillet over low heat. Stir garlic for about 30 seconds without browning.
- Simmer sauceAdd blended pepper mixture carefully and warm gently, stirring. Add a spoonful of pasta water if needed to loosen it.
- FinishAdd penne and toss. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan and black pepper, and taste before adding salt. Serve while lightly sauced.
Make it work for you
Jarred roasted peppers make this a short method; raw peppers are not a direct substitute. Drain the jar liquid so it does not dominate the sauce. Blend the cool ingredients before they go into the pan. If you choose to blend a hot sauce instead, follow your blender manufacturer’s hot-liquid instructions.
Sources & editorial notes
Follow ingredient labels and the cooking guidance below. Food-safety references are listed for further reading.
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