Creamy Garlic Red Pepper Pasta (30 Minutes)
Creamy Red Pepper Pasta with basil and Parmesan comes together in just 30 minutes. Serve this red pepper pasta sauce with your pasta and protein of choice for a guaranteed weeknight win.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Dutch oven or stock pot
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dry pasta of choice (use chickpea or lentil-based pasta for more protein)
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup sherry cooking wine*
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 (12-oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (sub cashew cream if making vegan/dairy free)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- For serving (optional): chicken, shrimp, Italian sausage, or meat analogue of choice if making vegetarian.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.
- While the pasta boils, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add onions; cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until soft. Add garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and chili flakes. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste turns brick red.
- Add sherry and broth, and stir to release any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the liquid slightly reduces. Stir in salt and black pepper.
- Transfer mixture to a high power blender, and add roasted red peppers. Blend until smooth, about 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer sauce back to the pan, and stir in heavy cream.
- Combine pasta, spinach, and red pepper sauce in pan over medium-low heat (if pan is too small, combine all ingredients in the pot you boiled pasta in). Stir continuously until spinach wilts down and sauce begins clinging to noodles. Stir in reserved pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup increments until desired consistency is achieved. (I always end up using the full 1 cup.) Add basil and sprinkle in Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously, until combined.
- Garnish with extra Parmesan and basil upon serving, if desired.
Notes
*You can often find sherry cooking wine in the vinegar section of most well-stocked grocery stores. If you can't find it, use 1/3 cup broth mixed with 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar instead.
To Store. Keep leftover pasta in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven or soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat, splashing in broth or water as needed to loosen the sauce. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
To Freeze. Store pasta in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.75cups | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 480mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g