Description
Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta delivers pure comfort straight from your kitchen to the dinner table. Creamy, smoky goodness combines perfectly with pasta for a quick meal that satisfies your hunger and warms your soul.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables:
- 1 pound pasta
- 2 large red bell peppers
Cheese and Dairy:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Seasonings and Extras:
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fire up your oven to 450F. Halve the red bell peppers, removing stems and seeds. Place them cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Roast the peppers for 25 minutes until their skins are completely blackened and blistered.
- Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let steam for 15 minutes.
- Peel off the pepper skins carefully, using a paring knife for stubborn bits. Roughly chop the peeled peppers.
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Saute for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Toss the chopped roasted peppers into the skillet. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Blend the mixture directly in the skillet using an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Drop 4 ounces softened cream cheese into the sauce. Stir until it melts completely.
- Pour in ½ cup heavy cream. Simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Sprinkle ½ cup Parmesan and ¼ cup Pecorino Romano into the sauce. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Season with salt and black pepper to your taste.
- Boil 1 pound pasta in salted water for 8-9 minutes until al dente.
- Scoop out ½ cup pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly.
- If the sauce seems thick, splash in reserved pasta water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Fold in ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves.
- Serve immediately with extra cheese sprinkled on top and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Roasting peppers yourself delivers deeper, richer flavor than using jarred versions and takes the dish from good to incredible.
- Softening cream cheese beforehand ensures smoother sauce without lumps and helps it melt more evenly into the sauce.
- Reserving pasta water is crucial for adjusting sauce consistency, letting pasta absorb flavors while maintaining perfect texture.
- Grating fresh Parmesan and Pecorino Romano instead of using pre-shredded cheese creates a more luxurious, melty sauce with superior flavor.
- Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Roasted
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 410 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg