Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce -- When the Garden Gives Everything and the Kitchen Remembers

Summer 2022. The garden producing at full capacity. Marlene cherry tomatoes everywhere — bowls on the counter, bags on neighbors' porches. Kevin eating tomatoes off the vine, the conversion from grass-defender to garden-participant complete.

I made roasted cherry tomato pasta — the Marlene tomatoes halved, roasted until caramelized, stirred into spaghetti with garlic and basil. Kevin said, "This might be the best thing you've ever made." The sauce is the tomato and the tomato is the name and the name is Marlene and everything in this kitchen connects to everything.

Roger visited Des Moines. He sat in the garden and watched Jack harvest. He saw the corn — Bodacious, the variety Roger grew on the four hundred acres. Jack had been quietly growing it for years without naming it. Roger sat in the garden and looked at the corn and looked at the boy and said nothing, because nothing was the right word for everything.

That batch of roasted cherry tomato pasta — the one Kevin called the best thing I’d ever made — reminded me that the simplest roasted sauces carry the most weight. This pasta with roasted red pepper sauce lives in that same spirit: sweet, caramelized, garden-bright, and deeply satisfying. When everything in the kitchen feels connected to everything else, a bowl of pasta with a sauce built from roasted vegetables is exactly the right way to honor that.

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
• 2 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or reserved pasta water
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Roast the peppers and garlic. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place red pepper halves cut-side down on a lined baking sheet. Nestle the unpeeled garlic cloves alongside them. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the peppers are charred and collapsed and the garlic is soft.
2. Steam and peel. Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the charred skins. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins. Set both aside.
3. Cook the pasta. While the peppers roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
4. Sauté the onion. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
5. Blend the sauce. Add the roasted peppers, roasted garlic, sautéed onion, and vegetable broth to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. For a richer sauce, stir in heavy cream; for a lighter version, use reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
6. Combine and finish. Return the sauce to the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the drained pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time to reach your desired consistency. Heat through for 1–2 minutes.
7. Serve. Divide among bowls and top with torn fresh basil and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 67g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 310mg