Vibrant, creamy pasta with roasted red peppers, garlic, and Parmesan. A simple 35-minute vegetarian Italian main dish.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
→ Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
02 - 2 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, or 12 oz jarred roasted red peppers, drained
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
09 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Garnish
11 - Fresh basil leaves, torn
12 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
# Steps:
01 - If using fresh red bell peppers, roast over an open flame or under the broiler until skin is charred. Place in a bowl, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Peel, deseed, and roughly chop.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add roasted red peppers to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pan. Blend until smooth.
05 - Return blended sauce to the skillet over low heat. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. Add reserved pasta water if sauce is too thick.
06 - Add cooked pasta to the sauce and toss until evenly coated.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish immediately with fresh basil and extra Parmesan cheese.
