Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, served with Angel Hair Pasta

At a glance

What stands out: Angel hair pasta with roasted red pepper sauce is a popular side dish or vegetarian main dish that everyone enjoys, and it’s so straightforward to mix.

How long it takes: 15 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large pot for pasta, large skillet, blender
Servings: 6

Angel Hair Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce

Straightforward. Vegetarian. Two words that make us happy.

This pasta recipe with roasted red pepper sauce is a great pasta meal that is colorful, flavorful and straightforward to prepare. You can have it ready in about fifteen minutes.

Even our dad, who doesn’t like red peppers, enjoys this pasta, although we think his real favorite is pink pasta with tomatoes. Truly, our dad loves any kind of pasta, and so do I.

Roasted Red pepper Sauce

So straightforward to mix. It’s a great recipe to have in your side pocket for speedy meals. You can feel totally comfortable serving it to guests too. Your blender will be doing most of the work.

Pantry ingredients. One of the reasons we love this pasta sauce is that it’s made with ingredients we almost always have on hand. Keep a jar of roasted red peppers and a box of angel hair pasta in your pantry so you can whip up this straightforward sauce whenever you want. You’ll also need an onion, a couple cloves of garlic, a splash of olive oil, half-and-half (heavy cream works well, too), and a pinch of cayenne pepper. It’s so simple.

You can roast your own red peppers. It’s straightforward and more economical to make your own roasted red peppers, especially if red bell peppers happen to be on sale. If you have an abundance of fresh red peppers, roast your own. Keep reading to learn how.

How it comes together

Boil the pasta. Get a pot of water boiling for the pasta. Angel hair pasta cooks quickly. It will be al dente in about 5 minutes so don’t wait to get the sauce started.

Sauté the aromatics. Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet; add a chopped onion and a couple of cloves of garlic, sliced. There’s no need to get fancy with chopping because they’ll be pulverized in the blender. Sauté until the onion is translucent and beginning to soften.

Blend the sauce ingredients. Add the onion and garlic to a blender, along with a jar of roasted red peppers (drained), half-and-half, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Process until the sauce is nice and smooth. It will be a gorgeous orange color.

Combine with pasta. When the pasta has finished cooking, drain it, and put it back into the pasta pot. Add the sauce and stir until the pasta is coated.

Ways to serve it

Garnishes: Garnish the pasta with lots of fresh basil. Freshly grated or shredded Parmesan cheese is good, too.

Add protein: Top the pasta with sautéed shrimp or chicken. Just use the same skillet that you used for the onions.

Suggested sides: Angel hair pasta with roasted red pepper sauce is wonderful served with a green salad with from-scratch red wine vinaigrette, and a loaf of fresh bread with olive oil dipping sauce.

As a side dish: Pasta with red pepper sauce can be a light entrée but it works well as a side with grilled chicken, salmon, or steak. Try it with air fryer chicken breasts or air fryer salmon for a speedy meal.

How To Roast Red Peppers

Wash bell peppers, cut them in half, and remove the stem, seeds, and membrane. Place the halves, cut side down, on a rimmed baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil for straightforward cleanup. Bake in a preheated oven (400°F) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until skins are starting to blacken. Remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers steam for 10 minutes or so or until they are cool enough to handle. Remove the skins. The tough outer skin should easily separate from the flesh. (For more about roasting peppers, check out our post about how to roast poblano peppers (4 methods). The technique is pretty much the same for all peppers.)

Storage: Roasted red peppers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be frozen for up to 6 months.

What can you do with roasted red peppers? Roasted red peppers are sweet and rich. Add them to sandwiches, salads, and pizzas. Try them on scrambled eggs or omelets. Top burgers or grilled chicken sandwiches. Make sauces, spreads, or soups with roasted red peppers. We love to eat them right out of the jar!

Straightforward Recipe Variations

• Use any type of pasta you prefer. Try whole wheat, gluten-free, chickpea, whatever you like. Different shapes work well, too. The advantage of angel hair pasta is that it cooks quickly and and, because it’s more delicate, it doesn’t overpower the sauce.
• Make it richer. Heavy cream can be substituted for the half-and-half if you’d like a richer, creamier sauce.
• Add flavorings. A half teaspoon of smoked paprika will give the sauce a slightly smoky flavor. A pinch of red pepper flakes can be substituted for the cayenne pepper, if you prefer. If you like extra heat, use both, or increase the amount of either. A teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning is a nice touch, too.

Make-Ahead

You can easily make the sauce a couple of days ahead. If the sauce is stored separately from the pasta, it can be refrigerated for up to a week in a tightly covered container.

Reheat the sauce gently over low heat in the pasta pot while the pasta is draining. Don’t boil it because the sauce may curdle.

Keeping leftovers

Store leftover pasta with sauce in the refrigerator. It will keep for three or four days.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through. Do not overheat. Larger portions can heated in a large skillet on the stove.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) angel hair pasta, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion ( 1 medium sized onion)
• 1 clove garlic, sliced ( 1 large clove or 2 small cloves)
• 1 jar (12 to 13 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained (about 1 ½ cups)
• ½ cup half-and-half (heavy cream is fine, too)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• fresh basil leaves, to garnish
• grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta as directed on the package.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, reduce to medium heat, and cook until the onions are softened and translucent. Stir occasionally.
3. Place the cooked onion and garlic, drained red peppers, half-and-half and cayenne in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.
4. Drain the pasta, return to pan, and pour the sauce over it. Stir to coat the pasta with sauce. Serve with torn basil leaves. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Try different pasta: If desired, substitute whole wheat or gluten-free pasta. Any type of pasta works but the advantage of angel hair pasta is that it cooks quickly. The delicate texture works well with this lighter sauce.

Sauce variations: Add a half teaspoon of smoked paprika for a smoky flavor. Add a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning. Reduce or increase the garlic. Substitute red pepper flakes for the cayenne pepper. If desired, top with cooked shrimp or chicken.

Storage: The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week. Leftover pasta combined with sauce can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently; try not to boil the sauce or it may separate. If pasta seems dry, add a splash of half and half, water, or milk to thin it.