Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta and follow the cooking instructions on the packaging. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce. Pasta water helps the pasta sauce be smooth, glossy, and cling better to the noodles, instead of sliding off.

In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, then add 1 small diced yellow onion. Sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes, then add 3-4 minced garlic cloves and sauté a couple more minutes, until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and stir until just combined. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.

Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Wash and dry 2 red bell peppers and place them on the baking sheet. Broil each side of the bell peppers until blistered.

Once the peppers are blistered, place them in a bowl and cover them with a towel for 10-15 minutes. This will make the peppers easier to peel. Once the peppers have steamed and are cool enough to handle, peel off the blistered skin. Then, remove the seeds, membranes, and stems.

Place the sauteed onions and cleaned red peppers into a blender. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste; 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, if using; and 1/2 cup of heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk. Blend on high until completely smooth.

Pour the sauce back into a clean skillet and heat on medium-low.

Add reserved pasta water to the sauce a little at a time, thinning it to the desired consistency.

Once the sauce is heated through, add the drained pasta and toss until the noodles are well coated. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve with Parmesan and cracked pepper.

Enjoy!

Check out some of our other Italian and Mediterranean Dishes, like our Mediterranean Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken, Chicken Bolognese Pasta, Italian Drunken Noodles, Creamy Tomato Sausage Pasta with Herbed Ricotta, and our Creamy Tomato Soup with Toasted Cheese Crostini.