This Creamy Red Pepper Pasta is a delicious twist on a classic tomato sauce. At first glance you may even think it IS a tomato sauce! Vibrant, smoky roasted red peppers get blended (yes, blended!) with heavy cream, cheese and spices for a luxorious sauce that simply could not be easier to make!

When I first posted this recipe to Instagram I joked that it is ‘essentially’ a health food. Red peppers contain EVEN MORE Vitamin C than oranges, so, if you’re looking to hit your Vitamin C quota for the day, this recipe is a delicious way to do that!

I love this recipe for a few reasons. Not only is it delicious, but it is impossibly easy and, in a way, unexpected. If you serve it, guests will be so pleasantly surprised to find out the bright red sauce isn’t your standard tomato sauce. If you’re looking for a weeknight meal that breaks from the norm, this is also a great option.

Now, let’s talk about the ingredients!

Dried pasta: You can use whatever pasta shape you’d like! Here, I used rigatoni, but this would be great with any short pasta, such as penne, fusilli or farfalle. The cheese in the sauce gives it some ‘grip’ and allows it to cling to your sauce.

I always buy bronze die cut pasta that is made in Italy. It is the highest quality pasta you can buy and is worth the few extra dollars. Bronze die cut pasta has a slightly rough texture, which again, allows the pasta to cling to it better.

Roasted red peppers: You can certainly roast the red peppers yourself, but if we are bragging about how quick and easy this is, why make it harder?! I buy Divina brand red peppers. They are in a water/citric acid mixture that doesn’t contain any oils or spices.

Parmesan cheese: Be sure to get the real deal! Parmigiano REGGIANO! I could write a dissertation on this, but be wary of cheese labeled ‘Parmesan’ or that is not made in Italy. True Parmigiano Reggiano will always be labelled as such, it is the only TRUE parmesan cheese. Whole Foods always has it in their cheese section (typically on a table, at room temperature), or you can always go to your local Italian import store.

Heavy cream: This, in addition to the cheese, is what gives the sauce that creamy, rich texture. I wouldn’t sub whole milk or anything with less fat in place of it.

Pasta water: This is just an insurance policy! I set some pasta water aside in case I want to thin out the pasta sauce a bit. Pasta water is different than regular water, as it contains the starch released from the pasta while cooking. It will help dilute the sauce, while adding more starches to act as a binder.