Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Thank you to Oster for sponsoring today’s Roasted Red Pepper Pasta. We are so thankful for the brands that keep us going and hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

When it comes to food, there is nothing that makes me happier than a big vat of pasta kissed perfectly in creamy sauce. It could be twirled with meatballs or studded with shrimp but oftentimes, it’s the simple preparations that give me the most satisfaction.  Such is the case with our Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.

Toothsome cavatappi (or corkscrew pasta) is tossed in an absurdly simple roasted red pepper and goat cheese sauce made easy with our favorite Oster Blender. Simply roast the peppers, throw them in with some herbed goat cheese, chicken stock and salt and blend into obliteration.

I find the combination of roasted red pepper and goat cheese go hand in hand and when you puree them together into one homogenous sauce, real magic happens. Add in a little parmesan cheese, garlic and salt, and continue the admiration tour.

Let’s get into the deets.

Ingredients

Red bell peppers. Look, you could buy roasted peppers in the jar but roasted them at home is so easy and you really get that charred smokey taste you don’t always get with jarred peppers. Totally up to you.

Goat Cheese When I want a creamy sauce but don’t want to actually add the fat and calories of heavy cream, I love to throw in goat cheese. It melts beautifully and adds a really lovely tangy elements that compliments the roasted red peppers. Using an herbed goat cheese adds even more flavor.

Chicken stock. Always use low-sodium!

Garlic. Lots of it!

Olive oil. We just need a little bit sauté the garlic.

Pasta. You could really use any pasta here. I’m partial to cavatappi because I love the way all the nooks and crannies catch the cream sauce.

Cheese. We finish it off with a generous amount of parmesan cheese. Pecorino, romano or asiago would be great as well.

Spinach. Gotta have a little green in there. Plus, there’s just something about spinach and a creamy red sauce that belong together.

Let’s make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta!

Roast the peppers. You can roast the peppers one of two ways. First (and my preferred method), if you have a gas stove, simply place the peppers over the open flame. Roast them until they are charred on all sides, turning as needed.

When they are charred on all sides, take them off the burner and place in a Ziplock bag or in a bowl, then cover with plastic. Let them steam for about 5 minutes. Pull them out and then peel the skin off. Discard the stem and seeds.

If you don’t have a gas stove, turn the broiler on. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and place directly under the broiler on the top rack. Broil the peppers until charred. Turn and char on the other side. When they are charred on all sides. Remove from the oven. P{lace in a Ziplock bag or in a bowl, then cover with plastic. Let them steam for about 5 minutes. Pull them out and then peel the skin off. Discard the stem and seeds.

Blend. Now comes the fun part. I simply add the roasted peppers, goat cheese and chicken stock into my Oster Blender and press the smoothie button. The dual blade technology works to puree the mixture into a silky-smooth sauce in mere seconds, making this pasta easy even by a beginner’s standards.

Alternatively you could also use the Low, Medium or High Pulse functionality to puree the mixture as well. Both work great.

Sauté garlic.  Heat a large deep skillet to a medium heat. Once the oil is hot. Add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds and then pour in the roasted red pepper mixture. Be sure you don’t burn the garlic! Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook while the pasta boils.

Cook pasta. Throw the pasta into a big pot of boiling water salted generously. Cook until just UNDER aldente.

Toss! Use a slotted spoon to transfer all of that pasta to the sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan and toss!

Do I have to use Cavatappi Pasta?

Nope. Any pasta will work, just make sure it’s something that can hold on to the sauce.

Do I have to roast my own peppers?

You don’t. I love the smoky flavor homemade roasted red peppers have but jarred peppers are fine too. Make sure to drain them properly.

Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• Sauté some shallots in addition to the garlic.
• Don’t overcook the pasta. It will continue to cook in the sauce so you want to make sure it’s just under aldente before you move it over.
• Season properly. Be sure to season as you go. Because there are so few ingredients it’s important to salt through each step.