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Vegetarian, Italy

Pasta with roasted red pepper cream sauce

Pasta with roasted red pepper cream sauce is an Italian vegetarian dish for 4 people, ready in 40 minutes, rated easy, for about €1.80 per person. The key is roasting the peppers until well blackened, then letting them steam in a sealed bag so the skin peels off easily before blending into a smooth, smoky sauce with ricotta.

Tonight, pasta coated in a smooth, sweet red sauce made from roasted peppers blended with ricotta.

Pasta with roasted red pepper cream sauce
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
780 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This recipe turns three red peppers into a velvety, sweet, slightly smoky sauce that coats pasta without weighing it down. Ricotta adds creaminess, raw garlic wakes everything up, and a sprinkle of Parmesan at the end gives just enough salt to balance the sweetness of the roasted peppers.

It's the kind of dish you make on a weeknight when you have a little extra time, since the oven does most of the work while you handle other things. Kids tend to like this smooth red sauce since there are no vegetable chunks to pick out, and it works just as well for a relaxed Sunday with adults.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Short pastaoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red peppers 3
  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Fresh basil 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Ricotta 200 g
  • Grated Parmesan 30 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Roast the peppers in the oven at 220°C, turning them, until the skin is blackened. 25 min

    Place them on the top rack, the skin blisters faster there.

  2. Seal them in a bag or under a covered bowl, then peel and seed them. 10 min

    Don't rinse them under water, you'd lose the smoky flavor.

  3. Blend the peppers with the ricotta, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.

    Set aside a small piece of pepper for garnish.

  4. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, keeping a bit of the cooking water. 10 min

    Cook it al dente.

  5. Toss the pasta with the pepper cream and the cooking water, then serve with basil and Parmesan.

    The cream also works cold as a spread the next day.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick peppers that are firm and smooth, they roast more evenly and yield more flesh once peeled.
  • Blend the sauce until fully smooth, then add the pasta cooking water gradually until you reach the texture you like.
  • Taste before adding salt, since the ricotta and Parmesan already bring some, you'll likely need less than you think.

The variations

  • Swap the ricotta for mascarpone for a richer, creamier sauce.
  • Add toasted pine nuts or chopped black olives for a sauce with more bite.
  • For a quicker version with kids in mind, use jarred roasted peppers, saving 25 minutes of oven time.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • Crusty bread for dipping
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

The pepper cream keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally stored separately from the pasta. It freezes well for up to a month. Reheat it gently in a pan or microwave with a splash of water or milk to bring back its texture.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the pepper cream ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat it gently before tossing it with hot pasta.

Can you use a different cheese instead of ricotta?

Mascarpone or a soft fresh cheese both work well in its place. Mascarpone gives a richer result, while a lighter fresh cheese keeps it milder.

Do you really need to peel the peppers?

Yes, the charred skin stays tough and slightly bitter once blended. The trick of sealing them in a bag for ten minutes makes it come off easily.

How do you make the sauce creamier?

Add the pasta cooking water gradually while blending or tossing. The starch in that water binds the sauce without making it heavy.

How long does it take to make a pasta with roasted red pepper cream sauce?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta with roasted red pepper cream sauce?

About 780 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta with roasted red pepper cream sauce cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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