My Favorite Restaurant Pasta.
In the privacy of my own mind, I refer to this as “Bad Mood Pasta” as in these noodles always fix my bad mood. I don’t know what to make for dinner, things feel hard / sad / stressful, I’m just not feeling the day – I give myself the gift of this creamy, savory pasta.
It’s just like the red pepper pasta from Estelle in St. Paul – except made at home in 20 minutes. Restaurant level, but make it SOS.
It starts with little tangles of buttery caramelized shallots (a moment of appreciation for the deliciousness of shallots, please). Those get folded into a lusciously creamy red pepper sauce, and then everything coats a whole bunch of bouncy noodles. It’s so good.
I love this with shrimp (pull a bag out of the freezer, thaw, season, and sauté). Also love this with the simple green salad or air fryer broccoli.
Also, if I’m making this for dinner guests, which has become somewhat of a habit lately, I SUPER recommend this with the house favorite garlic bread. It’s a smashing hit every time.
My favorite noodles for this are this fun pennoni, which is like a jumbo penne! I get compliments on these noodles from friends and family on the regular – they fold over just right and the angles are so pleasant. But rigatoni or penne is also very perfect!
Hope you love these noodles!
Watch How To Make This Red Pepper Pasta
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Restaurant-level pasta, easy enough to be SOS! Caramelized shallots folded into a silky red pepper sauce, and tossed with noodles. Heaven!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta:
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (jarred, drained – 3-5 pieces)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon Better than Bouillon chicken or vegetable broth base
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot, sliced thinly on a mandoline
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces pasta – my favorite is pennoni
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (optional, as needed)
Toppings:
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- basil leaves and/or red pepper flakes
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Instructions
- Red Pepper Puree: Blend the red peppers, water, and broth base until smooth.
- Saute the Shallots: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and shallots; sauté until the shallots are lightly golden brown and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
- Cook Pasta: During this time, cook the pasta according to package directions, to al dente so the noodles can finish in the sauce.
- Combine Sauce: Turn the heat down to avoid splatters; add the red pepper puree and let it sizzle out for a moment. Then ad the cream. Stir to combine; let it gently bubble for a few moments until it has thickened into a nice creamy sauce.
- Add Pasta: Add pasta into the sauce; let it simmer for a few moments to thicken and coat the noodles. If needed, add reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
- Yum. Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan, basil, and/or red pepper flakes. It’s so gooood.
Notes
If you don’t have Better than Bouillon, that’s okay – just use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water, or season the red pepper puree from Step 1 with a bit of salt.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: red pepper pasta, red pepper sauce, pasta recipe
Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Yep! You could use your favorite dairy-free heavy cream and skip the cheese, or make this recipe that uses cashews to make things luscious and creamy.
I’ve been really loving this with shrimp! But adding Italian sausage to the sauce would be excellent as well. I could also see seared chicken being delicious on the side!
Adding some spinach to the pasta in the pan until it wilts works great, or add a side of broccoli (air-fried if you want!).
Yes! Just replace the 3/4 cup of water with broth instead.
