Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

This creamy roasted red pepper pasta is the perfect light and delicious lunch or dinner recipe! The creamy sauce is made of roasted peppers, tomatoes and an entire head of garlic (the best part!) along with silken tofu for extra creaminess. It is dairy-free, nut-free and can also be made oil-free. Serve with lots of fresh basil and chili flakes and enjoy!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3 red bell peppers
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 head of garlic
• 3 tsp olive oil (see notes for oil-free)
• 150g silken tofu
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp salt (+ more to taste)
• Pasta for 4 (about 454g, gluten-free if needed)
• Basil leaves
• Ground pepper
• Chili flakes (optional)

Equipment

• Lined baking sheet
• Large pot
• Blender

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the insides and seeds. Cut off the top of the head of garlic.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then add the pepper halves and tomatoes. Drizzle 2 tsp of olive oil onto the peppers and tomatoes, along with a pinch of salt and pepper (optional).
4. If you have a small dish to roast garlic in, place the head of garlic in the dish. If not, use aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil onto the head of garlic, then add the lid to the pot or wrap the head of garlic in aluminum foil and add to the baking tray with the peppers and tomatoes.
5. Once the oven is ready, add the tray of peppers and tomatoes along with the garlic. Roast the peppers and tomatoes for 35-40 minutes, until softened, and roast the garlic for 1 hour.
6. Once the peppers and tomatoes are done, remove from the oven and let them cool before handling them.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
8. Once the peppers have slightly cooled, peel off the skins. If you’re having trouble, you can try soaking them in cold water for a few minutes then removing the skin.
9. Once the garlic is roasted, remove from the oven. Add the peeled peppers, roasted tomatoes, and roasted garlic to a blender. Then, add silken tofu, nutritional yeast and 1 tsp of salt and blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
10. Drain the cooked pasta then pour the creamy sauce into the pasta and mix well. If needed, heat the pasta and sauce on low-medium heat for a few minutes.
11. Serve with fresh basil and chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

*For an oil-free version, omit olive oil when roasting the peppers, tomatoes and garlic.