Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
So you love pasta, but you’re sick of basil pesto and tomato sauce? I have got you covered!
This vegan roasted red pepper pasta sauce is the creamiest sauce that doesn’t use dairy or coconut cream. The roasted peppers give a love depth of flavor when they are a little charred from the oven, and I love the base flavors with garlic and onion. Serve with garden peas and your favorite pasta toppings and dive in!
How To Make This Pasta Sauce Super Creamy
If you tasted this recipe without knowing the ingredients, you might be shocked to find out it has no dairy and no cream. Most creamy vegan sauces I have tried seem to use coconut milk to replace the dairy alternatives. However, there is another option, cashews!
Soaking the cashew nuts allows them to be soft enough to blend into a creamy sauce, and when you pair these with lemon, olive oil, and nutritional yeast makes the most delicious sauce. Even the vegetables in the sauce add to the creamy texture as they are all blended.
I recommend soaking your cashews for at least 1 hour, however, it is preferable to leave them soaking in cold water overnight or for 6+ hours. If you forget, you can soak them in hot water for 30 minutes as a backup.
Use Any Pasta Variety With This Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
This rich and cozy pasta sauce goes with any pasta shape you prefer! The sauce is the star of this dish, so it won’t matter too much which pasta you choose. Just go with your favorite.
You could even go for a gluten-free or high protein pasta such as lentil or chickpea pasta. If you are vegan, just remember not to use fresh pasta as most of them contain eggs.
And always remember to salt your pasta water when cooking for the best flavor. Honestly, once you try this, you won’t go back!
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Topping Ideas:
- Vegan parmesan cheese
- Nutritional yeast
- Chopped cashew nuts
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Chili flakes (you may even wish to add chili flakes before blending for a more spicy roasted red pepper pasta sauce)
Is This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce Recipe Healthy?
Absolutely! Not only is this sauce packed with whole foods, but it’s delicious and feeds the soul, which is my idea of a healthy meal!
Keep the common cold and flu at bay during the colder months, as this recipe is packed with nutrients that are great for fighting off infection. The red bell peppers in just one portion of this sauce contain about 85% of your daily vitamin C requirement, and they also contain vitamins A, E, K1, and B6, to name a few. Another key ingredient in this sauce, cashews, also helps improve your immune system, containing a decent amount of copper. In addition, garlic is an excellent ingredient for fighting sickness as it can boost your immune system. Finally, adding green peas when you serve this pasta dish can add a great source of plant-based protein.
How To Store Leftovers
As this recipe serves 4, you may wish to save the leftovers for another day. This roasted red pepper pasta sauce with no cream will keep for up to 4 days when stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
When you are ready to use the leftovers, heat them gently on low-medium heat for a few minutes until hot throughout (recommended), or microwave the sauce in 30-second intervals until hot. You may need to add a little water or vegan milk as the sauce may thicken up over time.
How Did You Get On?
If you try this dish out, please take a photo and send it to me @consciously.vegan on Instagram! I am buzzing to hear what you think of this sauce.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 red bell peppers, de-seeded and halved
- 1.5 cup raw cashews (soak for at least 1 hour in the water), drained
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 cup green peas
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
METHOD
- Preheat your oven to 400F
- Place the peppers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cut side facing down. Bake for 23 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Then add in the onion, garlic. Saute for 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- To a high-powered blender or food processor add in the roasted red peppers, onion, and garlic, cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, herbs, salt, and pepper. Blend until the sauce is creamy.
- Serve with your pasta of choice mixed with the green peas.
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers de-seeded and halved
- 1.5 cup raw cashews soak for at least 1 hour in the water, drained
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F
- Place the peppers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cut side facing down. Bake for 23 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Then add in the onion, garlic. Saute for 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- To a high-powered blender or food processor add in the roasted red peppers, onion, and garlic, cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, herbs, salt, and pepper. Blend until the sauce is creamy.
- Serve with your pasta of choice mixed with the green peas.
