Name: Vegan Red Pepper Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: ¼ cup/28g raw cashews; 3-4 pieces of jarred roasted red peppers (about half of a 16oz jar); 1 Tablespoon/15g tomato paste; 1 Tablespoon/15ml extra virgin olive oil; 1 clove of garlic; 5-6 leaves of fresh basil (plus more to garnish if desired); ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/8th teaspoon red pepper flakes; ¼ cup/60ml filtered water, warm; 8oz/227g chickpea or red lentil penne pasta

Gluten-Free Grain-Free Vegetarian Vegan

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This easy to make vegan red pepper pasta comes together in less than 30 minutes and only requires a handful of ingredients so you can get dinner on the table in a hurry.

I love a quick and easy dinner, especially on a weeknight when I need something tasty that’s not too much trouble. Something I can get ready in less than 30 minutes and doesn’t require that many ingredients. That’s why this vegan red pepper pasta is a favorite. With just a handful of ingredients and a minimal amount of preparation it’s an easy but delicious dinner that’s packed with flavor.

Dinner really doesn’t get much easier, just boil, blend and stir. So if you’re looking for a weeknight meal that’s different from the usual pasta with marinara sauce, you’ll want to give this red pepper pasta a try.

What do you need to make a creamy vegan red pepper pasta?

Almost all of the ingredients are pantry items except for a bit of fresh basil which you might already have growing in your backyard or on your windowsill.

Pasta – I like to use a chickpea or red lentil penne pasta. The sauce clings better when there are little ridges on the pasta and the extra protein and fiber in legume based pastas keep the meal filling and nutritious.
Roasted Red Peppers – Now you could roast your own but I find jarred roasted red peppers so much more convenient and easy to keep in the pantry.
Tomato Paste – This is for extra depth of flavor, if you don’t have it you can substitute some tomato sauce or a couple sun-dried tomatoes instead.
Cashews – This is the key to making the sauce creamy. A quick soak in hot water and they are ready to use.
Fresh Basil – Just a few leaves bring a lot of freshness and flavor to the final dish.
Red Pepper Flakes – For a bit of heat.
Garlic – Because garlic makes everything better.
Olive Oil – For a silky smooth sauce.

How to make red pepper pasta:

Smoky, sweet with a little bit of heat and a creamy texture the red pepper sauce is packed with flavor, and best of all you can make it in less time than it takes to boil the pasta.

Start by softening the cashews in a bit of hot water.
Next bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta.
In the meantime add the softened cashews and the rest of the sauce ingredient to the jar of blender and blend until silky and smooth.
Drain your pasta, return it to the pot or a skillet along with the sauce and stir over low heat until warmed through.

That’s it. If you’re feeling fancy serve it with some garlic bread sticks and a salad on the side or just dig in!

More easy pasta recipes:

Serves 4

Vegan Red Pepper Pasta

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This easy to make vegan red pepper pasta comes together in less than 30 minutes and only requires a handful of ingredients so you can get dinner on the table in a hurry.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

¼ cup/28g raw cashews
3-4 pieces of jarred roasted red peppers (about half of a 16oz jar)
1 Tablespoon/15g tomato paste
1 Tablespoon/15ml extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
5-6 leaves of fresh basil (plus more to garnish if desired)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
⅛th teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup/60ml filtered water, warm

For the pasta:

8oz/227g chickpea or red lentil penne pasta

Instructions

Start by bringing a small saucepan of water to a boil. Turn off heat and add the cashews. Let soak for at least 10 minutes.
In the meantime cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, make the red pepper sauce:
Set aside ¼ cup of the warm soaking water, then drain cashews and place in a blender jar with the roasted red peppers, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, basil, salt and red pepper flakes. Add the reserved water and process until smooth.
Strain pasta when done and return to pot along with the sauce. Heat through on low until warmed. Serve warm with additional basil leaves as garnish if desired.

Notes

VARIATIONS: Substitute your favorite pasta or roast your own red peppers if desired. If you don't have tomato paste use a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce or 1-2 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes instead.

STORAGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

DIETARY INFO: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 141mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 12g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.