Roasted capsicum pasta sauce is a fresh and vibrant homemade sauce recipe. Paired with al dente pasta it becomes a lusciously luxurious dinner recipe that will have you licking your lips. This capsicum pasta can be made from scratch or take a short cut and use store bought jarred roast capsicums for convenience.
Recipes like the Garlic Spaghetti, Spaghetti Al Pesto, Soy Sauce Noodles and the Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce are all about flavor packed pasta or noodles without adding meaty proteins.
The Fettuccine Alfredo With Scallops, Grilled Chicken Alfredo, Penne Bolognese and the Fusilli Bolognese see us add proteins to a wide variety of saucy pastas.
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about the recipe in the points below:
- Simple ingredients: you will be able to get everything that you need to make the recipe from your local grocery store. They are each year round available ingredients that will be easy to get your hands on.
- Versatile: you can make this sauce and pair it with freshly cooked pasta for an easy dinner idea. Or you can add extras to the sauce like tuna and olives to increase the taste and textures within the dish.
- Flavor packed: there is no denying that this recipe will leave you feeling satisfied and that you have devoured an aromatic and flavor packed pasta. From the garlic to the roast capsicums there is a lot going on in the flavor profile of the dish.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the roast capsicum pasta recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.
As you can see the red pepper pasta sauce recipe calls for:
- Olive oil: we brush some olive oil onto the capsicums to help the roasting process.
- Salt and pepper: we use salt and a little bit of black pepper for seasoning in the recipe.
- Cream: we use cream as a means to make a creamy roast pepper sauce.
- Garlic: we want to use 2-3 fresh garlic cloves.
- Basil: some fresh leaves go into the sauce as well as some being used to garnish the finished pasta dish.
- Roast capsicums: In Australia we call this bright and vibrant vegetable a 'capsicum' in the USA and other parts of the world they are known as 'bell peppers'. They are a robust vegetable that hold up well when roasted, stir fried or baked.
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by preparing the capsicums. You will need a sharp knife and cutting board for the initial step.
- Slice in half (Photo 1)
- Brush with oil (Photo 2)
- Season with salt and pepper (Photo 3)
- Oven bake (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Roasted Capsicum Pasta Sauce
To make the roasted capsicum pasta sauce we start by roasting the capsicums. To begin lay the capsicums out on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice each one in half.
Next grease the base and sides of a large baking dish with olive oil then place the capsicum halves into the dish skin side up.
Use a basting brush to coat each capsicum with a small amount of the olive oil. Then use a pair of tongs to flip the capsicum halves to the other side.
Season with salt and pepper.
When ready, place the baking dish into the preheated oven and let the capsicums cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the baking tray, set it on a heatproof surface and use a pair of tongs to rotate each of them to skin side up.
Next, return the baking tray to the oven for a further 30 minutes.
When the cook time is up, use oven mitts to remove the baking dish and place it on a heatproof surface.
Then use a pair of tongs to transfer each cooked capsicum half to a large glass bowl. Cover this with cling wrap like you see in the photo below and then let them sit for 15 minutes.
- Transfer roast capsicums to bowl, cover (Photo 5)
- Peel the skins (Photo 6)
- Add capsicums, garlic and basil to food processor (Photo 7)
- Blitz to combine (Photo 8)
Once you have combined the ingredients in the food processor transfer these to a large frying pan. Turn the heat on medium low and then pour in the cream.
Use a wooden spoon to stir the sauce until it is consistently mixed together.
- Add capsicum mixture to frying pan (Photo 9)
- Pour in the cream (Photo 10)
- Stir to combine (Photo 11)
- Add cooked pasta (Photo 12)
Next cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. When it is al dente (a little chewy still) drain and reserve some of the pasta water.
Then add the drained pasta to the sauce, pour over ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and stir until it comes together like the photo below.
- Toss to combine (Photo 14)
After you have combined the pasta the hard work is done and you can portion and get your garnish on 😍👌.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving your roasted capsicum pasta sauce you will find that the trio of black pepper, parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves tops it off perfectly.
Sometimes I like to add a little bit more to the pasta and you can see how this turns out in the photo below which adds some tuna (drained of spring water) and stuffed green olives. I use this combination also with spicy chilli and garlic olives in the mix 😍👍.
For a bread side you might like to try the Tortilla Garlic Bread, Ciabatta Garlic Bread, Garlic Pizza Bread or the Turkish Garlic Bread.
For salads, try a small Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad, Herb Salad or Panzanella Salad.
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Let the pasta fully cool. Then transfer leftovers to a sealed, airtight container.
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days and need to be reheated before being consumed.
How to Freeze
Or follow the above method to cool then portion the pasta into containers.
These can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
Transfer refrigerated leftovers to a bowl and microwave on high in 1 minute increments until warmed through (2-3 minutes).
For frozen leftovers, allow to thaw then do the step above. They may need 1-2 minutes longer to reheat so test before you sit down to ensure that the pasta and sauce is heated through.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:
- If you want to use store bought roasted red capsicum you can. Drain but keep 1 teaspoon of the oil and then follow the steps from when you add all of the ingredients to the food processor.
- Add some more heat by adding red pepper flakes.
- Add some protein with some tuna flakes, olives and or capers.
- Or for alternative proteins try adding cooked prawns, chorizo sauces or leftover chicken.
- For alternative cheese try using pecorino romano, crumbled feta or goat cheese.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:
- I like to keep the seeds and stems on whilst roasting and then remove the stems after roasting. I also leave some of the seeds in and add them to the sauce. You can do the same or completely remove the stem and seeds. This can be done before roasting for convenience.
- Once cooked adding the peppers to a bowl and covering it with cling wrap helps the skins to slide off. You do have to wait for them to cool slightly so that they are not too hot to hold.
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Try adding 1-2 cups of spinach after you have combined the sauce. It will take only minutes to wilt and mix in.
Not really. This recipe is best made using red capsicums for their vibrant colour and smoky flavor. Green capsicums are best saved for a stir fry or green curry.
Yes you can. This cuts down the time involved in making the recipe to about 15 minutes. Drain the roast capsicums before adding them to the food processor and add 1 teaspoon of the reserved oil from the jar. You will need 1 ½ - 2 cups which is roughly 2 jars.
Good news! You can use your favorite pasta with this roast capsicum sauce. Some popular choices are spaghetti or fettuccine, rigatoni, penne or fusilli.
Yes, you can. If choosing to do so use half as much milk as you would have cream to ensure that the sauce doesn't become too watery.
😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes
If you love easy dinner recipes that are full of flavor then I have some more ideas to share. These dishes are designed to keep things interesting and inspired in the kitchen.
- Slow Cooker French Onion Beef
- Baked Rigatoni With Sausage
- Slow Cooker French Onion Chicken
- Chorizo Fried Rice
- Beef Mince Potato Bake
- Dumpling Noodle Soup
- Thai Minced Pork
- Prawn Fritters
- Chorizo Pasta Bake
It is time to get our roasted capsicum pasta sauce on my friend! You can also find all of my homemade sauce recipes or pasta recipes in the one spot.
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Capscium Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 large red capsicums (bell peppers) Note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 10-12 fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup/ 250 ml heavy cream
- ½ cup/125ml reserved pasta water
To serve
- spaghetti
- black pepper
- parmesan cheese
- basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: preheat the oven to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5.
- Capsicums: use a sharp knife and cutting board to slice each capsicum in half lengthways.
- Baking dish: use a basting brush and grease the base and sides of a large baking dish with olive oil. Add the capsicum halves cut side down then brush the skins with olive oil. Next use a pair of tongs to rotate each capsicum cut side facing up and season each with salt and pepper.
- Oven bake: place the baking dish into the oven on the middle shelf and let the capsicums bake for 15 minutes. Once this time is up use a pair of oven mitts to remove the baking tray and set it on a heatproof surface. Next use a pair of tongs to rotate each capsicum to skin side up. Return the baking dish to the oven and continue to oven bake the peppers for a further 30 minutes.
- Cool: once the cook time is up, use oven mitts to remove the baking dish from the oven and set it onto a heatproofsurface. Use tongs to transfer each roast capsicum half to a large bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let these sit for 15 minutes.
- Remove skins: when the capsicums are cool enough to handle (around 12 to 15 minutes) remove the cling wrap and pull the stems and skin off each half.
- Blitz: next add the roast capsicums, garlic cloves and basil leaves to the food processor. Blitz to combine, then remove the lid and use a spatula to scrape down the insides of the bowl. Then put the lid on an blitz again.
- Combine: when ready, place a large frying pan onto the stove top, turn the heat to medium low and transfer the combined capsicum mixture into the pan. Next pour in the cream and use a wooden spoon to combine.
- To serve: cook your favorite pasta in a large sauce pan of boiling salted water. Reserve some of the cooking water when the pasta is al dente and use a colander over the sink to drain the rest. Add the drained pasta to the capsicum sauce, pour in the reserved pasta water and use a pair of tongs to toss till consistently combined. Sprinkle black pepper over the top as well as some parmesan cheese then add some basil leaves on top.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 - Roast capsicums: or you can use store bought roasted capsicums from a jar. You will ned 1 ½-2 cups which is 2 x jars. Keep 1 teaspoon of the oil from one jar and add that to the ingredients that you are blitzing in the food processor.
- Note 2 - Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic cloves for the recipe. You can do the same (2-3) or use 1 tablespoon of chunky chopped, minced garlic or garlic paste.
Rebecca says
This sounds so good. I love the idea of making our own capsicums!
Adrianne says
Thanks Rebecca, I hope you give it a go 😄.
Josef Zinn says
Appreciate it! 🙏
Adrianne says
Thanks Josef! 😄