Roasted Red Pepper Lentil Pasta
This roasted red pepper pasta is ready in 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients, including high-protein red lentil pasta. Tossed with a rich homemade red pepper sauce and vegan parmesan cheese, it’s sure to become a new favourite weeknight dinner meal!
This blog post is sponsored by Pasta Lensi! Thanks for supporting the brands that support Jessica in the Kitchen. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This vegan roasted red pepper pasta is on my Top 10 pantry dinners list. It comes together easily, has loads of savoury flavour, and it’s gluten-free! I made mine with Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli. I was so excited when they sent me their pasta to try, since I love using gluten-free pasta to up the protein of my dishes.
Seeing that their lentil pasta has 26 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce portion (about 2 servings) was very enticing because I could easily hit my protein goals with it. Apart from the beautiful colour, the next wonderful surprise was how well this held up in my favorite red pepper pasta sauce!
What Makes This Roasted Red Pepper Pasta So Great
- Gluten-free and vegan. But this red pepper pasta is so delicious, it’s loved by all!
- Rich, red pepper sauce. The homemade red pepper pasta sauce uses non-dairy creamer and vegan Parmesan cheese, and it’s ready in minutes in the blender.
- One pan. Aside from blending the sauce, this pasta dinner comes together in a single skillet for quick and easy clean-up.
Notes on the Ingredients
I always struggled with gluten-free pastas falling apart or becoming mushy, but I can say with confidence that Pasta Lenti’s does not! I even overcooked it once by accident, and it was still fine. It’s been a pantry staple ever since. I highly recommend checking out their pasta, which you can do here.
In the meantime, these are some quick notes on the pasta and the rest of the ingredients you’ll need to make your roasted red pepper pasta. Scroll to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe.
- Red Lentil Pasta by Pasta Lensi – As you can tell, the star of the show! I love using gluten-free pastas because they immediately up the protein of any and all pasta dishes by so much. Be sure to cook according to package directions.
- Non-Dairy Creamer – Helps make the sauce incredibly creamy! I used unsweetened oat creamer; you can also sub a thick vegan milk or try your hand at making vegan heavy cream from scratch (super easy!).
- Roasted red peppers – You can roast your peppers yourself, or use the store-bought peppers that come in a glass jar like I did.
- Fresh or roasted garlic – Either one works. Roasted garlic gives a deeper flavour.
- Onion – Yellow onion, shallot, or any onion works here.
- Basil leaves – Fresh or dried basil is optional, but adds a really nice flavour to the sauce.
- Vegan parmesan cheese – My homemade vegan parmesan cheese recipe works perfectly to bring a slight cheesiness to this sauce. You can also use your favorite store-bought brand.
Why You Should Save Your Pasta Water
I include a note to reserve about ¼ to ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before you drain your lentil pasta. Don’t skip this step or try to replace it with regular water. The starchiness in leftover pasta water helps emulsify the sauce, making it creamy and clingy so it thoroughly coats the pasta.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Step-by-Step
This red lentil pasta with red pepper sauce takes very little effort, and the flavours are second to none. Roasted red peppers are such a great ingredient in this recipe, just as they are in my roasted red pepper hummus! You’ll love the sweet-savouriness and how quick the sauce is to make. Let’s get started.
- First, cook the pasta. In a well-salted pot of boiling water, cook your pasta according to the directions on the box. Afterward, reserved about ½ cup of the starchy water. Drain the rest and set the pasta aside for now.
Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
- Sauté the garlic and onion. While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and softened. Sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, and stir to combine again.
- Combine and blend the sauce. Let the onions cool slightly, and add them to your blender alongside the non-dairy creamer, roasted red peppers, basil seasoning/basil, sea salt and pepper, and vegan parmesan cheese. Blend until the sauce is completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Finish the Pasta
- Heat the sauce. Now, pour the roasted red pepper pasta sauce back into your saucepan. Warm the pan over medium-low heat until the sauce is slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Put it all together. Lastly, add your pasta to the sauce and toss or stir to coat. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Top with extra vegan parmesan cheese, basil, and red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil if desired. Enjoy!
Cooking Tip: Add the Pasta Straight From the Pot
For an even creamier red pepper pasta, prepare your sauce while the pasta boils. When it’s done, use a slotted spoon to scoop the cooked pasta immediately into the roasted red pepper sauce along with the pasta water. It saves having to drain and add it separately!
Recipe Notes and Variations
- Avoid overcooked pasta. This is especially important with gluten-free pasta. Pasta Lensi pasta is actually a lot more resistant to overcooking than a lot of the gluten-free pastas I have used, which is great, so still ensure to follow the package directions and the timing on the lower end, since you’ll be adding the pasta into the sauce for a few minutes too.
- Don’t rinse the pasta. The extra starch will definitely help it to stick. I actually like adding it right into the sauce from the pot – like slotting it immediately over.
- Don’t overheat the sauce. Cook the final sauce and pasta on a nice, slow heat, so everything comes together without burning.
- Add a spicy garnish. Top with some Calabrian chili oil (or any chili oil), extra basil, and extra parmesan cheese!
What to Serve With Your Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Serve this easy red pepper pasta with vegan garlic parmesan dinner rolls or soft and fluffy gluten-free dinner rolls for soaking up all that delicious sauce. This hearty pasta dinner also goes well with a fresh green salad, beet salad, or apple pecan salad with vegan feta.
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover roasted red pepper pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftover red pepper pasta sauce can be jarred separately and kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Reheat. Warm the pasta in the sauce on the stovetop, or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
More Pasta Dinner Recipes
Roasted Red Pepper Lentil Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or roasted garlic
- 1 onion
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Non-dairy creamer
- 16 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, or 2-3 large roasted red peppers
- 3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
- ¼ to ½ cup pasta water
Optional add ins:
- ½ teaspoon dried basil seasoning or a few basil leaves
Instructions
- In a well-salted pot of boiling water, cook the Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli according to the directions on the box. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
- While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and softened. Sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, and stir to combine again.
- Let cool slightly, and add them into your blender alongside the non-dairy creamer, roasted red peppers, basil seasoning/basil, sea salt and pepper and vegan parmesan cheese. Blend until completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the sauce back into your saucepan and heat through over medium low heat until slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Add your pasta with a slotted spoon immediately into the roasted red pepper sauce along with the pasta water. Stir completely to coat the pasta in the sauce and until the pasta water is fully mixed into the sauce too. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Top with extra vegan parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes/chili oil and basil and enjoy!
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
