Pasta is one of the stars in my go-to recipes for weeknight dinners, but it becomes something special when it’s elevated to include so many flavors. Creamy Rotelle with Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese is a dish that is not only visually stunning, but also incredibly delicious. The sauce is made by roasting red peppers until they are sweet and caramelized, then blending them with garlic, olive oil, and a touch of red pepper flakes. The result is a bright and tangy sauce that pairs perfectly with the fun shaped rotelle pasta.
To make this dish, simply cook the rotelle until al dente, then toss the hot pasta with the roasted red pepper sauce. Top it off with a sprinkle of goat cheese and parmesan cheese along with some fresh basil for a pop of color and flavor.
This dish is incredibly easy to make – perfect for a busy weeknight and also makes a great side dish for chicken. It’s also a great recipe for holiday parties and is more interesting than your standard baked ziti. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can create a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home. So why not give this recipe a try and impress your family and friends with your culinary skills?
Ingredients for Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Pasta: For this pasta dish, I like to use a chunky pasta shape that holds the creamy sauce well, like this rotelle or rigatoni.
- Aromatics: garlic, red pepper flakes, and fresh basil all play supporting roles to boost this creamy, mellow sauce.
- Red peppers: Choose plump, large peppers with smooth skin so they evenly roast!
- Goat Cheese: The bold flavors of goat cheese match perfectly with the mild peppers. I used pre-crumbled goat cheese for this recipe, but feel free to use any kind you can get your hands on. Feta cheese is also a great substitute!
- Parmesan Cheese: Real parmesan cheese is grated and provides a nice salty tang which goes nicely with the mild peppers.
How To Roast Bell Peppers In An Air Fryer
1. Roasting bell peppers in an air fryer is easy! There’s no standing over a gas stove needed, and the air fryer does a great job of evenly blackening the flesh so you have a low-maintenance roasted pepper!
2. Start by washing and drying whole red peppers completely. Set the air fryer to 380F and push down the roasting rack so it is sitting low in the basket.
3. Place the peppers into the basket whole and leave a little bit of wiggle room between each pepper (I find I can fit 2 large peppers at a time). If you try to squeeze too many into the basket, they will “steam” rather than roast. If you have a smaller air fryer, then you can lay pepper halves down skin side up. You can also use sweet mini peppers if you can’t find large red peppers at the grocery store.
4. Roast the peppers for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the skin is blistered and blackened. Towards the end of the 3 minute mark, I recommend checking on the peppers to see if they can be flipped.
5. Repeat this process on all sides of the peppers until fully roasted. Carefully remove the peppers from the air fryer with tongs and place into Ziplock plastic bags. Seal the bags and let the peppers sit for about 20 minutes until softened. Alternatively, you can use a clean pot with a tight fitting lid.
6. Once cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and they are now ready to be used!
Variations of Creamy Pasta With Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
There are a lot of fun and tasty ways you can jazz up this pasta since the sauce is vegetable based and the mild taste of the peppers allows for a lot of wiggle room, flavor wise! You can try some of these delicious alternatives:
- Add 1 lb. (400g) of cooked crumbled spicy sausage to the pasta to make it a one pan meal
- Add sweet corn, black beans, canned green chilies and replace the cheeses with cotija and cilantro for a vegetarian southwestern inspired pasta
- Add 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tbsp. chili powder, 1 pack of taco seasoning, chopped green onions, and ground beef for a western style skillet dinner. Add some cayenne pepper for spice
- Add half a bag of baby spinach, 1lb. ground turkey, and 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes for a quick turkey pasta bake.
How To Store Creamy Red Pepper Pasta
Normally anything with fresh soft cheeses like goat cheese will not freeze well, but you can totally freeze the pasta without the cheese and add it on right before serving!
To store in the fridge
Place the slightly cooled pasta in an airtight container and store in the fridge as soon as possible. Avoid letting cooked pasta sit out on the counter for more than 2 hours. The pasta will keep for up to 5 days.
To store in the freezer
Prepare the pasta without the cheeses and place in either a freezer friendly container or freezer bag. If using a freezer bag, lay the pasta flat and freeze until solid. When ready to serve, empty the contents into a skillet and reheat over low heat until hot and creamy. Top with cheeses. This pasta will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How To Make Creamy Pasta With Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 large roasted red peppers, roughly chopped (see note)
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 oz crumbled goat cheese, divided
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 lb rotelle or another chunky pasta shape, like rigatoni
- fresh basil or parsley, finely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook over medium heat until it turns a deep brick red. Once the tomato paste reaches this stage add in the chopped roasted peppers and 1/2 cup water.
- Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes then set aside to cool slightly.
- Place the red pepper mixture and half of the goat cheese into a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Return to the skillet and keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add a handful of salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water on the side.
- Add the pasta and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese to the sauce and toss to evenly coat. Add the pasta water gradually if the sauce seems too thick.
- Top the pasta with the remaining goat cheese, parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve.
Creamy Rotelle With Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 large roasted red peppers, roughly chopped (see note)
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 oz crumbled goat cheese, divided
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 lb rotelle or another chunky pasta shape, like rigatoni
- fresh basil or parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook over medium heat until it turns a deep brick red. Once the tomato paste reaches this stage add in the chopped roasted peppers and ½ cup of water.
- Simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes then set aside to cool slightly.
- Place the red pepper mixture and half of the goat cheese into a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Return to the skillet and keep warm.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add a handful of salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water on the side.
- Add the pasta and 1/2 of the parmesan cheese to the sauce and toss to evenly coat. Add the pasta water gradually if the sauce seems too thick.
- Top the pasta with the remaining goat cheese, parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh basil. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve.
