Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
Updated March 26, 2019
I love being a mom. It is the best job in the world. Sure, it has it’s ups and downs, but the ups make you forget about the downs. Caleb rolled over for the first time this week and we acted like he just won the gold medal. Yes, we are first time parents:) It was so exciting! Our lives are different, but for the better. We still enjoy our time in the kitchen. Our time is often interrupted or rushed, but we still make cooking and baking a priority. The other night Caleb wanted to play during dinner time, so Josh put him in our baby carrier and we all made Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce. It was a fun night in the kitchen.
Pasta is a great meal for any day of the week. It is easy to make, inexpensive, and delicious. We try to mix up our pasta dishes by making different sauces and toppings. We had a few red peppers that needed to be used up so we made a roasted red pepper tomato sauce to go with our pasta. The sauce is simple to make and full of flavor.
We roasted the peppers on our Thermador gas range, but you can also roast them under the broiler or on the grill. Char the peppers until they are completely black. Place the peppers in a brown paper bag and let them sweat for about 5-10 minutes. This will make them easier to peel.
Once the peppers are roasted and peeled, you are ready to make your sauce. We sautéed onion and garlic in olive oil and added in tomatoes and the red peppers. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh basil. You can use an immersion blender or place all of the ingredients in the blender or food processor. Puree until the sauce is smooth, but still has a few chunks. We added the sauce to whole wheat penne pasta, but any pasta would be great with this sauce. The sauce also freezes well, so make a big batch and put some in the freezer for a rainy day.
We garnished our pasta with Parmesan cheese, freshly chopped basil, and served crusty bread on the side. Caleb wasn’t able to eat the meal with us, but just having him in the kitchen made the meal extra special. Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce is a great dish for a casual dinner at home or for entertaining guests. Add this pasta dish to your menu plan-it is a staple in our home.
Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 large red bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup packed fresh basil coarsely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound cooked pasta we used Whole Wheat Penne
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
- Freshly chopped basil for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Roast red peppers over gas flame, under the broiler, or on the grill. Roast for about 10 minutes, or until peppers are completely black. Place peppers in a paper bag to allow to sweat. Peel the charred skins from the peppers and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers and set aside.
- 2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in garlic, red peppers, and diced tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Add freshly chopped basil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- 3. Purée the sauce using an immersion blender or transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth with some texture remaining. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- 4. In a large bowl, combine pasta and sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
If you like this Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce, you might also like:
- Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta with Kalamata Olives & Feta from Closet Cooking
- Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce from The Pioneer Woman
- Roasted Red Pepper Carrot Pesto from Jeanette’s Healthy Living