This creamy roasted red pepper pasta is a quick, flavourful weeknight dinner made from roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes and garlic. The vegetables caramelise in the oven, producing a rich, sweet sauce that becomes velvety when finished with mascarpone. Serve with plenty of Pecorino and crusty bread to mop up every last bite.
Quick recipe overview
- Flavour – The roasted vegetables caramelise and concentrate, creating a sweet, intense sauce that’s smooth and creamy once the mascarpone is added.
- Perfect for – low-effort dinners: roast the vegetables, blitz them into a sauce, and toss with pasta.
- Serve with – crusty bread or focaccia to soak up the sauce.
Roasting vegetables for a soup or pasta sauce brings deep, layered flavour with very little effort. Red peppers and tomatoes release their natural sugars as they roast, producing a sweeter, more concentrated taste—perfect for this sauce.
This recipe first appeared in 2017 and has been a family favourite ever since. The sauce itself is unchanged, though I now prefer serving it with spaghetti rather than bucatini because spaghetti gives a better texture and holds the sauce nicely.
Below you’ll find the full recipe with step-by-step photos, useful tips and a few variations to try. Enjoy!
Ingredient notes
- Pasta – Long shapes like spaghetti or linguine work best because they cling to the creamy sauce. Short shapes such as rigatoni are also fine if you prefer.
- Red bell peppers – Great for using up slightly wrinkled peppers. You can use jarred roasted peppers, but fresh-roasted peppers avoid the pickled or briny flavour.
- Mascarpone – adds creaminess and richness; you can substitute a splash of heavy or double cream if needed.
Recipe tips and FAQs
Consistency – For an extra-smooth texture, pass the blitzed sauce through a sieve to remove seeds and skins. This step is optional but creates a silkier finish.
Yes. Make the sauce 1–2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently on the stove and combine with cooked pasta when ready to serve.
Yes. The sauce freezes well for up to three months. Thaw completely, reheat on the stove until piping hot, and toss with pasta.
Variations to try
This roasted red pepper sauce is versatile. Use these ideas to adapt it depending on what you’re craving:
- Add sausage – Cook and crumble two Italian sausages (remove casings) and stir into the sauce.
- Add pancetta –Fry pancetta or guanciale first; its savoury fat balances the peppers’ sweetness.
- Add chilli – Sprinkle chilli flakes over the vegetables before roasting for heat.
- Fresh herbs –Stir in fresh basil or parsley just before serving.
- Add cheese – Blend in grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano for extra richness.
- Add pesto – Top with a spoonful of basil or arugula pesto for a bright flavour boost.
More easy pasta recipes to try
Pasta
Roasted Fennel Pasta with Chilli and Lemon
Pasta
Sun Dried Tomato Pasta With Roasted Red Pepper
Classic Italian Recipes
Pasta With Puttanesca Sauce (Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca)
Pasta
Italian Pasta and Lentils (Pasta e Lenticchie)
If you try this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta or any other recipe here, please rate it and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out—I love hearing from readers! Follow the blog on social platforms or sign up to the newsletter for more recipes and updates.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to get great results every time.
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
By Emily
Ingredients
- 14 oz spaghetti or pasta of choice, (400g)
- 2 red bell peppers
- 14 oz cherry tomatoes, (400g)
- 1 red onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, skins on
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 heaped tablespoon mascarpone, (or a splash of heavy cream)
- Pecorino Romano, for serving
- salt and pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉.
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Cut the peppers into medium pieces, roughly chop the onion and halve the cherry tomatoes. Place them in a large baking tray with the garlic (skins on), oregano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
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Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 30–35 minutes until the vegetables are soft and slightly charred.
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While the veg finishes roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
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Remove the garlic from its skins and place all roasted veg in a food processor or blender. Add one heaped tablespoon of mascarpone and blend until smooth.
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Tip: For a very smooth sauce, pass it through a sieve to remove seeds and skins.
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Warm the sauce in a large pan over low heat. Add the drained pasta and toss until evenly coated. Serve topped with plenty of grated Pecorino Romano.
Notes
- Emulsify the sauce – If it seems too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to loosen and emulsify the sauce until it coats the pasta smoothly.
- Leftovers – Store refrigerated for 1–2 days.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in these recipes unless stated otherwise.
- Vegetable sizes are medium unless noted.
- All recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
- Nutrition values are approximate and automatically calculated.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.