Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with caramelized onions, sautéed zucchini, and al dente pasta tossed in a creamy roasted red pepper sauce. This red pepper sauce is mildly sweet from the roasted peppers yet has a kick of spice from the harissa paste. It’s creamy, vegan, and the perfect addition to your next pasta dish.

A ceramic bowl is filled with roasted red pepper pasta and two forks to enjoy it. The pasta is garnished with red pepper flakes, crumbled feta, and fresh herbs.

Top with salty and creamy feta plus fresh herbs and lemon zest for a light and fresh meal. Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner! I love this alongside an easy mixed green salad or some sautéed vegetables. Truly one of my new favorites when it comes to pasta.

For another pasta dish bursting with flavor, check out my Spicy Tomato & Ginger Shrimp Pasta. The spicy sauce is full of flavor from fresh minced garlic, ginger, and onion all sautéed with a white wine and tomato reduction. Then to top things off, tender shrimp and al dente pasta that makes this dish into a true “chefs kiss” creation.

Ingredients in Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Red Bell Peppers – Definitely recommend red peppers for their flavorful and mildly sweet profile. The perfect pepper for this style of sauce.

Garlic – Fresh minced garlic will give the best flavor. Substitute with 1/2 tsp garlic powder if needed.

Raw Cashews – It’s important to use raw cashews for optimal texture in this red pepper sauce. I usually get mine from Trader Joe’s or online! You also don’t need to soak them, just make sure you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix otherwise you will have a clumpy vs smooth sauce.

Vegetable Broth – Adds moisture and flavor to the red pepper sauce. If you don’t have, you can substitute with water or pasta water!

Lemon Juice – Helps to balance out the flavors with a bit of fresh acidity.

Nutritional Yeast – A vegan alternative to cheese, nutritional yeast gives a delicious cheesy flavor to this sauce without any dairy!

Harissa Paste – A blend of herbs, spices, and peppers with a warming and slightly spicy flavor. I prefer harissa paste as it has the hot peppers infused directly with the herbs and spices, and usually get mine from Trader Joe’s.

Dried Coriander – In herb form, you know it as cilantro. Gives a fresh flavor and pairs well with the harissa.

Onion & Zucchini – I chose these vegetables as they saute easily and take on the flavors of whatever you add to them. The perfect addition to this roasted red pepper pasta to add some extra vegetables into the mix.

Pasta – Rigatoni is my favorite for dishes like this because the big, wide noodle really picks up the sauce. Feel free to use whichever pasta shape you like best.

Feta – The salty and creamy feta really tops this dish off. Feel free to sub for dairy-free cheese if needed.

Oven-Roasted Red Peppers

The key to a great red pepper sauce is all in the roasting. The high heat of roasting the red peppers brings out their natural sweetness and that distinct ‘pepper’ flavor.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 400F.
Coat your bell peppers in olive oil on all sides and lay cut side up sprinkle with kosher salt. Roast in the oven for ~25-30 minutes or until bottoms have started to blacken. (add your peeled garlic cloves for the last 10 minutes of baking – make sure to also coat them in olive oil).
Remove from oven and proceed with remaining steps for the sauce!

How to Make Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

Once your red peppers are roasted you simply need to saute the veggies, cook your pasta, and blend the sauce. A easy and quick process for extreme deliciousness!

Add roasted red peppers to a high-speed blender along with remaining ingredients for the sauce – raw cashews, vegetable broth, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, harissa paste, ground coriander, salt, and black pepper. Blend for 3-5 minutes, or until smooth + creamy with no visible cashew pieces. Season with additional salt & pepper to taste, along with extra harissa paste if you want a little spicier. Set aside.
To a large saute pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat to medium. Add your chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent.
Add your zucchini slices and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until zucchini starts to brown. Sprinkle zucchini/onion with ½ tsp of salt and stir to combine.
To the large saute pan, add your warm cooked pasta and sauce, stirring until evenly coated.
Just before serving, top pasta dish with feta crumbles, chopped fresh cilantro, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh lemon zest. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Creamy roasted red pepper pasta is garnished with fresh herbs, crumbled feta, and red pepper flakes. Lemon wedges sit in the skillet alongside the pasta.

Gluten Free Pasta Brands

Where are my fellow pasta lovers at? There’s just nothing better than a good pasta dish with a creamy sauce … I mean it’s comfort food at the absolute best!

And while I’m all about regular wheat pasta, I do like to opt for gluten free whenever possible. I’m sharing my top brands down below for overall texture and flavor when it comes to gluten free pasta.

Barilla – This is the OG brand of pasta that most of us probably grew up enjoying. Lucky for us, they now have a gluten free pasta line that’s absolutely amazing. Top quality just like their regular pasta.

Jovial Foods – I’ve loved this pasta brand for years as their regular pasta is made with Einkorn flour which is a tasty flour with easy to digest gluten. But for all of your 100% gluten free needs they have an impressive collection of pasta styles to choose from – my favorite is their cassava flour pasta and brown rice pasta.

Roasted red pepper pasta with crumbled feta, fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes fill a white bowl. There is another bowl of the pasta as well as more lemons and herbs in the background.

Vegan Pasta Sauce Recipe

Turning a dairy heavy pasta sauce into an equally as delicious but vegan option is one of my favorites! Pasta can be just as tasty but lighter and more fresh thanks to vegan alternatives. So if you’re looking to enjoy more healthy and vegan options with your next pasta night, check out these blog favorites!

Vegan Alfredo Sauce – Made with only 6 ingredients, this Vegan Alfredo Sauce is creamy and ‘cheesy’ thanks to nutritional yeast. Unlike traditional alfredo, this sauce is made with a cashew base and nutritional yeast to be lighter yet just as creamy and delicious!

Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce – Oven roasted cherry tomatoes are blended with raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and spices to create a creamy yet fresh sauce. In this recipe I serve the tomato sauce overtop vegan italian sausage and gnocchi but you can get creative with how you utilize it!

Avocado Dressing – This creamy vegan avocado dressing is the perfect addition to your next pasta dish. Made with ripe avocados, fresh herbs, and lemon, it adds a light and fresh pop of flavor!

And if you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you and it helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Roasted Red Pepper Pasta 🙂