This roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato pasta is an easy, satisfying weeknight meal. The vibrant sauce is made in a food processor—so tasty you’ll be tempted to eat it by the spoonful—and it’s tossed with short fusilli for maximum sauce pickup.
You’ll be licking your bowl clean with this one.
Sun-dried tomatoes are packed with concentrated flavor and work wonderfully in antipasto, on crostini, or as the base for a pasta sauce. Jars of marinated sun-dried tomatoes are affordable and often come seasoned with Mediterranean herbs and sometimes capers—my favorite.
One of my favorite ways to use them is to blitz them with roasted red pepper to make a silky sun-dried tomato pasta sauce. The roasted pepper softens the tomato’s tang and adds a sweet, smoky depth. It’s simple, fast, and delicious.
I’ve made sun-dried tomato pesto for years—it’s embarrassingly easy and fantastic on grilled bread—so turning it into a pasta sauce seemed obvious. Adding charred roasted red pepper brings extra balance and sweetness, rounding out the flavors beautifully.
The Pasta
This recipe uses Fusilli Bucati Corti. It’s spiral-shaped fusilli with a hollow center, perfect for holding sauce. If you find fusilli bucati corti (the short version), it will make each bite saucy and visually appealing. There’s also a long version called fusilli bucati lungi—lungi means long and corti means short. If you can’t find it in your supermarket, try gourmet Italian stores or online specialty suppliers.
How To Make Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta – Step By Step
Start by roasting one large bell pepper or two small ones. Cut the pepper in half, remove the white pith and seeds, rub lightly with olive oil, and roast cut-side down for about 30 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
Tip: Put a large pot of salted water on to boil about 10 minutes before the pepper is done and cook the pasta until al dente following packet instructions.
Important: Reserve 2 cups (about 500 ml) of the pasta cooking water before draining; the starchy water helps turn the paste into a creamy sauce.
While the pepper is hot, remove any green stem and place it in a food processor with jarred sun-dried tomatoes, grated parmesan, garlic, fresh basil, and pine nuts. Blitz until you have a smooth, thick paste. Taste and season with salt if needed.
Combine the paste with the drained pasta and add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, stirring until the sauce just coats the pasta. You probably won’t need all the reserved water—add only enough to achieve a glossy, clingy sauce. Finish with another tablespoon of grated parmesan and torn basil leaves.
Tip: The sauce should coat the pasta with no excess liquid pooling at the bottom of the pan. Adding too much water will dilute the flavor and thin the sauce.
Enjoy!
If you try this sun-dried tomato pasta, please rate the recipe and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out. I love hearing from readers.
Step By Step Photos Above
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Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper
By Emily
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup (120g) jarred marinated sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 1 small bunch basil, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tbsp parmesan, plus extra to serve
- 14 oz (400g) fusilli bucati corti or similar pasta
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Cut the red pepper in half, remove seeds and pith, rub with about 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and place cut-side down on a baking tray lined with parchment. Roast for about 30 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
- When the pepper has been in the oven 20–25 minutes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Before draining, reserve 2 cups (500 ml) of the pasta water.
- In a food processor, combine sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, 1 tbsp parmesan, and a pinch of pepper. Add the hot roasted pepper (remove the stem) and blitz to a smooth paste. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Mix the paste into the drained pasta. Gradually add the reserved pasta water a little at a time, stirring until the sauce just coats the pasta. You won’t need all the water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in another tablespoon of grated parmesan, tear over extra basil, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use jarred marinated sun-dried tomatoes with herbs and capers if possible.
- If the tomatoes aren’t pre-sliced, slice them before measuring.
- Important: Reserve 2 cups (500 ml) of pasta water before draining—its starch is essential for creating a silky sauce. Do not substitute with plain hot water.
- Add the reserved pasta water gradually; there should be no excess sauce pooling in the pan. Too much water will dilute the flavor.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless noted otherwise.
- When using canned or jarred tomatoes, I prefer Cirio or Mutti for consistent flavor.
- Vegetables are medium-sized unless specified otherwise.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation and provided for guidance only.
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