Pasta with Creamy Roasted Pepper and Ricotta Sauce Recipe
A creamy, slightly sweet sauce made from roasted peppers and ricotta is a great alternative to classic tomato sauces. In Italy, vegetable sauces like this often come from leftovers from lunch – but here it’s worth roasting the peppers especially for it, because the result is exceptional.
Pasta with creamy roasted pepper and ricotta sauce is a nod to Italian zero-waste cooking, where nothing goes to waste and vegetables take center stage. Roasted pepper gives the sauce a slightly smoky, sweet flavor, while ricotta makes it velvety yet much lighter than classic cream-based sauces. It’s a great way to pack a generous portion of vegetables into one dish without giving up the pleasure of eating pasta.
Chef's tips
Roast the peppers long enough for the skin to darken deeply and even char in spots – only then will it peel off easily and the flesh will be intensely sweet. After roasting, cover the peppers in a bowl with foil or a lid for 10–15 minutes so they can steam and the skin comes off without effort. If the sauce turns out too thick, thin it gradually with pasta cooking water instead of adding more oil.
How to serve
This dish works perfectly as a quick yet impressive weeknight dinner – especially when you come home late and have a few pre-roasted vegetables in the fridge. Serve with a simple tomato and basil salad and a glass of light red wine, such as Barbera. For a more weekend-style version, you can sprinkle the pasta with toasted almonds or pine nuts for extra texture.
Ingredients
- pasta - 320 g
- red bell pepper large, fleshy - 3 piece
- ricotta can be replaced with cream cheese - 200 g
- garlic - 2 cloves
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- grated Parmesan optional, for serving - 40 g
- fresh basil or parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- chili flakes optional, for heat - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C with the grill or top heat function on.
- Wash the peppers, cut them in half and remove the seeds. Place the halves skin-side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Place in the oven as close as possible to the top heating element and roast for 15–20 minutes, until the skin is deeply darkened and almost black in spots.
- Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover with a plate or cling film for 10 minutes – the steam will help you peel off the skin easily.
- Once cooled slightly, peel the peppers (the skin should come off in large pieces) and cut the flesh into smaller pieces.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 30–40 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the pepper pieces and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat and transfer everything (together with the oil from the pan) to a tall blender jug.
- Add the ricotta, a pinch of salt, pepper and chili flakes if using. Blend to a smooth, creamy sauce. If it’s very thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of water.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the rest.
- Pour the sauce from the blender back into the pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring. If needed, thin the sauce with pasta cooking water until it has the consistency of thick cream.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan and mix thoroughly so the pasta is well coated in the sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped basil or parsley and grated Parmesan.
Storage
Leftover pasta with sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce if it has thickened.
