Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Pasta
on Jun 24, 2025
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A delicious weeknight dinner starts with this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Pasta, roasted with red chili and in-season heirloom tomatoes. All it takes is one tray to roast, then blend with basil and cream, all finished with parmesan and butter.
If you’re looking for more pasta recipes, check out our Simple Anchovy Pasta with Lemon and Capers and Spicy Sausage Cherry Tomato Pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This pasta is quick and bursting with smoky, sweet flavors from roasted peppers and tomatoes. You can roast everything in one pan and blend. What makes this pasta so special is that it is roasted with red chili, adding some heat to the recipe.
- Preps in 10 minutes, roasts in one pan for minimal cleanup
- You can add your favorite proteins, like chicken or shrimp, to make this recipe customizable
- Has a kick of heat from the red jalapeno chili
- Tastes just as good cold as it does hot
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you need to make this recipe, including all our tips and substitutions.
The Pasta Base: You will roast heirloom tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red chili with onions and garlic tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Pasta: For this recipe, we are using short-cut pasta, specifically mezzi rigatoni, but you can use any of your favorite pasta shapes, such as penne, bow-tie, lumache, or even spaghetti or linguine.
Fresh Basil: For aroma, added flavor, and freshness in the pasta sauce and for serving.
Dairy: After you roast the vegetables, the mixture is blended with heavy cream and then tossed with the pasta with unsalted butter and Parmesan cheese.
The full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Tips and Substitutions
- Reserve pasta water before draining your pasta to allow the pasta sauce to cling nicely to all the other ingredients.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Sub with chili flakes if you can’t find red jalapeno.
- Storing: You can store the sauce separately and cook pasta when you want to serve it for up to 3 days. You can also store the finished and tossed pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Warm gently in a pan or in a microwave.
- If you want to save on time or don’t want to roast your peppers, you can use store-bought roasted red peppers.
How to Make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Pasta
Step 1: Make your red pepper pasta sauce by tossing tomatoes, peppers, chilis, onion, and garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 400°F for 30–35 min.
Step 2: Boil with salted water until just under al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, drain, and transfer back to the pot.
Step 3: Blend roasted veggies, basil, and juices until smooth. Add cream, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: Pour over your sauce, stir in butter, cheese, and pasta water. Plate and top with extra cheese, basil, and cracked pepper.
The full detailed instructions can be found on the recipe card below.
Serving Recommendations
Looking for some ideas to serve with this roasted red pepper pasta? We have you covered!
- For salads, pair this pasta with Endive Caesar Salad with Harissa Breadcrumbs, or Citrus Avocado Salad with Chili Crisp.
- For a fun appetizer, you can serve this with Roasted Bone Marrow with Smashed Olive Salad and Tuna Crudo with Citrus Caper Vinaigrette.
- Serve with Easy Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Aioli to pair for a Summer party.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta FAQs
Yes, you can use vegan butter, remove the parmesan, and toss with coconut milk to make this vegan and dairy-free.
You can serve roasted red pepper pasta with shrimp, chicken, or even steak if you want to add protein to your pasta.
The best sub would be coconut milk. You can also make a creamy almond or soaked cashew base for a creamy component.
More Pasta Recipes
If you do make this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta recipe, leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, we would love to hear what you think! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, we love to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest in your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter. We can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 medium red heirloom tomatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, quartered with the stems removed
- 2 small red bell peppers, cored and roughly sliced
- 2 red chilis, stems removed, halved
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound of short-cut pasta, we are using rigatoni
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 to 5 sprigs basil, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a baking dish, toss your heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, chili, onion, and garlic with olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Transfer to the oven to roast for 30 to 35 minutes.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt your water, add in your pasta and cook 1 to 2 minutes under al dente according to the package instructions.
- Drain your pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water, and transfer it back into the pot.
- Once the vegetables are roasted, transfer everything to a high-speed blender, including any juices and basil sprigs. Blend until smooth and velvety. Add in your heavy cream, adjust with salt and pepper, and give everything one more pulse.
- Pour over your pasta sauce in the pot with the pasta and bring the heat to low. Add in your butter and cheese, tossing to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a bowl to plate, topping with more shredded parmesan, a few basil leaves and a crank of black pepper.
Notes
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- Sub with chili flakes if you can’t find red jalapeno.
- Storing: You can store the sauce separately and cook pasta when you want to serve it for up to 3 days. You can also store the finished and tossed pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat: Warm gently in a pan or in a microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A delicious pasta dinner for the summer months! You will love this!