Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta...

Ok. So I come from an Italian family, and we LOVE pasta. Way too much, in fact. I love the starch, and I love the cream sauces. Doesn't everyone?! Ha.




However, they don't have a whole lot to offer nutritionally. So I'm constantly on the lookout for recipes or ideas that satisfy the "cream sauce" monster in my little Italian brain, but that still offer some nutritional benefits.

Enter... Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta <3

First, I need to give credit where credit is due. This gorgeous creation is courtesy of the Minimalist Baker, and I found it on Pinterest. I highly recommend checking out their site for some delicious ways to spice up your menu. :)

Here's what you'll need:

• 4 cloves garlic 
• fresh parsley/basil 
• 2 red bell peppers 
• 2 shallots 
• 1.5 TBSP cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) 
• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast 
• red pepper flakes 
• salt/pepper 
• 1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk 
• 2 TBSP olive oil 
• 12 oz. gluten free pasta 
• vegan Parmesan cheese 








Here's what you do with it:

1. Heat oven to 500 and roast red peppers on a baking sheet until charred - about 25-30 minutes. Cover in foil for 10 minutes to steam, then remove (peel away) charred skin, seeds and stems. Set aside.

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain, toss in a touch of olive oil, cover with a towel and set aside.

3. While the red peppers are roasting, bring a large skillet over medium heat and sautee onion and garlic in 2-3 Tbsp olive oil until golden brown and soft - about 4-5 minutes. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Transfer sautéed shallot and garlic to blender with roasted peppers, almond milk, nutritional yeast and cornstarch. Season with desired amount of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

5. Blend until creamy and smooth, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt and pepper or nutritional yeast for flavor. You want the flavor to be pretty robust and strong since the noodles don't have much flavor - so be generous with your seasonings.

6. Once blended, place sauce back in the skillet over medium heat to thicken. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and continue simmering.

7. Once sauce is thickened to desired consistency, add noodles. However, before tossing add a touch more olive oil, salt and pepper to the un-tossed noodles for added flavor. Then, toss to coat. 

8. Serve with vegan parmesan, red pepper flakes and fresh chopped parsley or basil.