Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper (Print)

Luscious plant-based pasta with smoky roasted red peppers and lentils in a creamy, dairy-free sauce.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce Base

02 - 2 large roasted red bell peppers, peeled and seeded
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3/4 cup cooked brown or green lentils, drained
06 - 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
16 - Crushed red pepper flakes

# Directions:

01 - Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté 4-5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Transfer sautéed onion and garlic to a blender. Add roasted red peppers, cooked lentils, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
04 - Return sauce to skillet over low heat. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Add drained pasta to sauce and toss to coat evenly. Heat 1-2 minutes until warmed through. Serve immediately garnished with fresh basil, vegan parmesan, and red pepper flakes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes indulgent and creamy without a drop of dairy, so rich that nobody notices the hidden protein.
  • Brown lentils dissolve completely into the sauce, adding substance without texture—it's the secret weapon nobody sees coming.
  • You'll have dinner on the table in under 45 minutes, making weeknight cooking feel less like a chore and more like self-care.
02 -
  • If your sauce breaks or looks separated in the blender, add an extra splash of plant milk and blend again—lentils need a little liquid love to emulsify properly.
  • Don't skip draining the lentils thoroughly, or you'll end up with a thick paste instead of a sauce; learned this the hard way and ended up adding way more pasta water than intended.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon—it contains starch that helps the sauce cling to the pasta, so resist the urge to just use more milk.
03 -
  • If you don't have a blender, a food processor works just as well, though you might need to blend in two batches and work a bit harder to get it completely smooth.
  • Make this sauce on Sunday and portion it out—it reheats beautifully and makes weeknight dinners feel effortless when you just need to cook pasta and warm the sauce.
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