Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

5 from 1 vote

This flavor packed red pepper pesto pasta is made with fire roasted red peppers, fresh basil, garlic, tomatoes and is ready in under 30 minutes!!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 455kcal

Author: Danielle Wolter

Ingredients

8 ounces spaghetti cooked and drained, pasta water reserved
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tomatoes chopped
⅓ cup red wine
⅔ cup heavy cream

Red Pepper Pesto:

12 ounces jar roasted red peppers
¼ cup pine nuts
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup basil packed
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon coconut sugar
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook the spaghetti for about 8 minutes and drain, reserving ¼ cup pasta water. Pasta will not be fully cooked - it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the fresh chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the pesto sauce (below) and red wine and bring to a simmer.
Add the cream, bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Add the pasta to the sauce and let cook for about 2 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil (optional).

Red Pepper Pesto:

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium low heat until lightly browned.
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until fully combined.

Notes

If the sauce is too thin, stir in the reserved pasta water a couple tablespoons at a time while stirring until it thickens up.

To roast red peppers on your own, place them on a grill heated to medium high and char the outsides. Let them cool, then gently peel the charred skin off. Remove the stem and send and use just like you would jarred red peppers.

Nutrition