Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Bucatini with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is an easy weeknight pasta packed with flavor, Parmesan, and bright pepper goodness. The best quick pasta dinner.

Prep Time3

Cook Time12

Total Time15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Pasta with Peas + Parmesan

1 lb bucatini
shaved of parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to garnish

For the red pepper sauce

3 red bell peppers roasted and skins removed
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

Cook the bucatini according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
In a blender, combine the roasted red bell peppers, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Blend for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Return the drained pasta to the pot and pour in half of the red pepper sauce. Toss well to coat, adding small splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Add more sauce if desired, then transfer to a large serving platter. Top generously with Parmesan shavings and finish with a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

Roast the peppers until they’re really charred. Blackened skins mean deeper flavor. Don’t pull them too early the more char, the sweeter and smokier the sauce.
Steam the peppers after roasting. Pop them in a bowl and cover with a plate or foil for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the skins and makes peeling them a breeze.
Save some pasta water it’s liquid gold. The starch helps the sauce cling to every noodle and keeps things extra silky. Always pull a cup before draining.
Blend the sauce until velvety. A high-speed blender gives you the smoothest texture. If it looks too thick, add a splash of warm pasta water to loosen it.
Season at every step. Salt the water. Taste the sauce. Adjust after tossing. Layering seasoning makes the flavors pop and keeps the peppers from tasting flat.
Add the cheese off the heat. Parmesan melts smoother when the pot isn’t blazing hot. Stir it in at the end for that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
Finish with something bright. A squeeze of lemon, fresh basil, or even a pinch of red pepper flakes brings the whole dish to life and balances the sweetness of the peppers.
Make it ahead-friendly. The sauce keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days or the freezer for a couple months. Just thin with a little water when reheating and it tastes brand new.

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