One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is what I make when the fridge looks bare but there’s a jar of roasted peppers in the pantry. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so the starch thickens it for you and you only wash one pot. It’s sweet, a little smoky, and creamy without being heavy.

Why Make This Recipe

Jarred roasted red peppers do most of the work here. They’ve already been charred and peeled, so they’re soft and sweet and melt into the sauce in a few minutes.

Cooking the pasta in broth instead of water gives it a lot more flavor. The starch it releases makes the sauce silky, so you only need half a cup of cream.

It’s also a good change from the usual. If you’ve already made my One Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta a dozen times, this one tastes similar enough to feel familiar but different enough to be worth making. The peppers make it rounder and sweeter.

No blender, no colander, no second pan.

How to Make One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 25 minutes. Total: 35 minutes. Serves 4. You’ll need a wide pot or Dutch oven that holds at least 5 quarts, so the pasta can lie mostly under the liquid.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 12 ounces penne or campanelle
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• A small handful of fresh basil, torn

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter stops foaming, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until it’s soft and translucent but not brown.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until it smells fragrant. Don’t walk away here, because burnt garlic tastes bitter and you can’t fix it.
3. Stir in the chopped peppers, tomato paste, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, pressing the tomato paste against the bottom of the pot. It should darken a shade and start to stick a little. That’s flavor.
4. Pour in the broth and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring it to a boil.
5. Add the pasta, stir well, and push it down so most of it is under the liquid. Lower the heat to a steady simmer, cover with the lid slightly cracked, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes or so. Pasta in a small amount of liquid likes to clump and stick to the bottom.
6. Check the pasta about 2 minutes before the package time. It should be just tender, and most of the broth should be absorbed, leaving a loose sauce. If it looks dry and the pasta isn’t done yet, add 1/4 cup more broth or water.
7. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream, then the Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts before adding the next.
8. Season with salt and black pepper. Let it sit off the heat for 2 minutes, since the sauce thickens as it rests. Top with basil and extra Parmesan.

How to Serve One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

I serve it straight from the pot in shallow bowls. A green side keeps it from feeling too rich. A simple arugula salad with lemon and olive oil works, and so do steamed green beans.

For something a little more fun, put out a plate of Mini Caprese Skewers first. Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil go well with the peppers.

Crusty bread is never a bad idea. There’s always sauce left in the bowl.

How to Store One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Let leftovers cool, then move them to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. They keep for 3 to 4 days, which matches the USDA guidance on leftovers.

The pasta keeps soaking up sauce in the fridge, so it’ll look thick and a bit dry the next day. To reheat, put it in a small pot with a splash of milk or broth over medium-low heat and stir until it’s loose and creamy again. In the microwave, add the splash, cover, and heat in 45-second bursts, stirring in between.

I don’t freeze this one. Cream sauces tend to turn grainy after thawing, and the pasta goes soft.

Tips to Make One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

• Chop the peppers small, about the size of a pea. They break down into the sauce instead of showing up as slippery strips. If you want a completely smooth sauce, use an immersion blender before you add the pasta.
• Pat the peppers dry after draining. The jar brine is tangy, and too much of it makes the sauce taste sour.
• Use low-sodium broth. The liquid reduces a lot and Parmesan is salty, so regular broth can make the dish too salty by the end.
• Pick a short shape that cooks in 10 to 12 minutes. Thick rigatoni needs more liquid and time, and spaghetti won’t stay submerged.
• Grate the Parmesan yourself from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking powder that makes the sauce gritty. Real Parmigiano Reggiano melts the best, but a good domestic Parmesan is fine.
• Add the cheese over low heat, never at a boil. High heat makes it clump into strings.

Variation

Protein is the easiest change. Brown 12 ounces of sliced Italian sausage or diced chicken thighs in the pot first, set them aside, then cook the onion in the fat that’s left. Stir the meat back in with the cream. For a chicken pasta with a different direction, try my Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken Pasta.

For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and stir in 3 big handfuls of baby spinach right after the cream. It wilts in about a minute. You can also swap the cream for 3 ounces of softened cream cheese, which makes the sauce a bit tangier and thicker. Fresh red bell peppers work too if you roast them yourself first, but honestly, the jar is just as good here.

One Pot Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

A one-pot pasta in which the pasta cooks right in a sauce of jarred roasted red peppers and broth, so its starch thickens the sauce. It's sweet, a little smoky, and creamy without being heavy.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 jar roasted red peppers 12 ounces, drained and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 12 ounces penne or campanelle
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup Parmesan finely grated, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 small handful fresh basil torn

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter stops foaming, add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until it's soft and translucent but not brown.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until it smells fragrant. Don't walk away here, because burnt garlic tastes bitter and you can't fix it.
3. Stir in the chopped peppers, tomato paste, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, pressing the tomato paste against the bottom of the pot. It should darken a shade and start to stick a little. That's flavor.
4. Pour in the broth and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring it to a boil.
5. Add the pasta, stir well, and push it down so most of it is under the liquid. Lower the heat to a steady simmer, cover with the lid slightly cracked, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes or so. Pasta in a small amount of liquid likes to clump and stick to the bottom.
6. Check the pasta about 2 minutes before the package time. It should be just tender, and most of the broth should be absorbed, leaving a loose sauce. If it looks dry and the pasta isn't done yet, add 1/4 cup more broth or water.
7. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the cream, then the Parmesan a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts before adding the next.
8. Season with salt and black pepper. Let it sit off the heat for 2 minutes, since the sauce thickens as it rests. Top with basil and extra Parmesan.

Notes

Use a wide pot or Dutch oven that holds at least 5 quarts. Chop the peppers to about pea size and pat them dry after draining, because the jar brine can make the sauce sour. For a smooth sauce, use an immersion blender before adding the pasta. Use low-sodium broth, since the liquid reduces and Parmesan is salty. Pick a short pasta shape that cooks in 10 to 12 minutes. Grate the Parmesan from a block and add it over low heat, never at a boil. If the sauce is too thin, simmer it uncovered for 1 to 2 more minutes before adding the cream, then let it rest. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within two hours. They keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk or broth. Freezing isn't recommended.

FAQs

Can I use water instead of broth?

You can, but the sauce will taste flatter. If you use water, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a little more Parmesan to make up for it.

Why is my sauce too thin?

Usually there’s still too much liquid, or it hasn’t rested yet. Simmer it uncovered for 1 to 2 more minutes before adding the cream, then let it sit off the heat. It thickens quite a bit as it cools slightly.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Yes. Use olive oil instead of butter, full-fat canned coconut milk or unsweetened oat creamer instead of cream, and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan. It’s a little sweeter, and still very good.

Conclusion

Keep a jar of roasted peppers in the pantry and this is always within reach. Once you’ve made it once, you’ll probably stop measuring the paprika and start adding whatever greens you have. That’s how a weeknight pasta should work.