Vegan Creamy Roasted Pepper Pasta (Printable Copy)

A luscious vegan pasta with roasted red peppers and lentils, perfect for a wholesome weeknight dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried penne or fusilli pasta

→ Sauce Base

02 - 2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and seeded
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3/4 cup cooked brown or green lentils, well-drained
06 - 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
09 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

14 - Fresh basil leaves
15 - Vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
16 - Crushed red pepper flakes

# How to Make:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - In a blender, combine sautéed onion and garlic, roasted red peppers, cooked lentils, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
04 - Return sauce to skillet over low heat. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Adjust thickness with reserved pasta water, adding gradually until desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Add drained pasta to sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
06 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with fresh basil, vegan parmesan, and red pepper flakes if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes genuinely luxurious without a drop of cream, which always feels like getting away with something.
  • Lentils sneak in 14 grams of protein per serving, so you're actually full afterward, not hunting for snacks an hour later.
  • You can make it in less than 45 minutes start to finish, which means weeknight dinner without the stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water—it's starchy and magical for thinning the sauce to exactly the right texture without making it taste diluted.
  • If your lentils are wet or not well-drained, your sauce will be watery no matter what you do, so give them a good shake in a colander.
  • Blend the sauce completely smooth—any lumps of lentil or pepper will make the texture feel rough instead of luxurious.
03 -
  • Make the sauce while the pasta cooks, and everything comes together at exactly the right moment—don't let your sauce sit waiting or it'll start to thicken and separate.
  • If you're not confident with a blender, a food processor works just as well, though you might need to blend in two batches depending on the size.
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