Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce (with ricotta)
Oct 13, 2021, Updated Nov 20, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Creamy Ricotta Roasted Red Pepper (No Cook Sauce)- Get a nutrient-rich, flavor-packed dinner on the table in 20 minutes with this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners and it is loved by children and adults!
This is one of my favorite easy go-to pasta recipes for a busy weeknight. I serve it with Fast Italian No Knead Ciabatta Bread and a simple salad. If you want to serve it as a side pair it with: Best Baked Salmon with Pesto Recipe (Easy) or Crispy Baked Cod with Panko Recipe.
Table of Contents
- Why this recipe works
- Simple Ingredients
- No cook pasta sauce!
- How To Make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Simple Italian inspired meals
- Whipped Ricotta Cheese
- Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
- Can I use gluten free pasta?
- Creamy Ricotta Recipes
- Serving Suggestions
- Creamy Ricotta and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Recipe
Why this recipe works
Ready for this no cook creamy ricotta and roasted bell pepper sauce that comes together in minutes? It is your next easy and flavorful meal!
This pasta sauce combines roasted red bell peppers, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, ricotta and basil for loads of flavor and pure comfort.
Simple Ingredients
- Ricotta cheese – smooth, mild, and creamy
- Garlic – a little kick of flavor
- Fresh basil – for that Italian-inspired pasta sauce taste!
- Olive oil – I recommend using a good quality oil since this is a no cook sauce and the fragrance of the olive oil will shine.
- Canned roasted peppers – the star of the show- make sure you purchase a quality trusted brand
- Sun dried tomatoes – these will bring out and complement the flavor of the red peppers
- Pasta of choice – I like short or long pasta for this recipe as both will coat the pasta beautifully
- Reserved pasta water – the secret to creating a binder for the pasta and the sauce
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish – a little green to brighten the presentation
No cook pasta sauce!
You will love how easy this sauce is to make. No cooking involved! All you need is a blender and quality ingredients and your sauce is ready in a matter or minutes. Mangia!
How To Make Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Smoky, sweet and slightly tangy, jarred roasted red peppers create the most delicious pasta sauce! Here, we use this pantry favorite to make a simple homemade pasta sauce taste restaurant-worthy.
This roasted red pepper sauce is so fast, it feels like cheating. If you can open a jar and open a carton, you can make this creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce. Here’s what you do:
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add your pasta and boil until it is al dente. We usually begin to taste for doneness after six minutes. Read how to make pasta like an Italian!
- While the pasta cooks, combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Before draining the pasta reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta water to the blender and pulse a few more times.
- Remove the sauce from the blender and place in a large serving bowl. Toss immediately with hot pasta. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot! Mangia! (Eat!)
Simple Italian inspired meals
One of my goals with creating recipes is to inspire people to make home cooked meals on a regular basis, give them ideas of what to make, and empower them to actually do it by showing them it’s not so difficult.
I love bringing simple Italian flavors to your homes in any way I can to make life easier and bring you delicious tasting recipe you can create!
Whipped Ricotta Cheese
Whipping ricotta in the food processor or blender transforms it into an incredibly smooth, spreadable cheese.
All the ingredients get tossed in a blender and whipped until a rich and creamy red pepper sauce form. It is a luxurious coating for pasta or even used as a dip!
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes! Make the sauce ahead and store in an air tight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Add the reserved pasta water when ready to make and serve. Dinner is pronto (ready)!
Can I use gluten free pasta?
Absolutely! We don’t eat a lot of gluten free pasta since we don’t have any dietary restrictions.
Since I know many do, there are plenty of great options out there to try with this sauce. Sub chickpea pasta or any other gluten-free pasta of your choice.
Read this article for how to pair pasta and sauces.
Creamy Ricotta Recipes
More ricotta recipes to try: Italian Frittata Recipe with Peas and Ricotta, Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Capers, and Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna with Tomato Sauce.
If you love sweets try these- BEST Authentic Sicilian Cannoli Recipe and Sweet Ricotta Pie!
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is a perfect side dish for BEST Breaded Chicken Cutlets (Italian) or Best Italian Stuffed Chicken Thighs (Involtini di Pollo). Serve with a simple salad and side of bread. Enjoy!
Made with Amore, Elena
From my Cucina to your Table, Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)
More delicious recipes for you…
Creamy Ricotta and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Get a nutrient-rich, flavor-packed dinner on the table in 20 minutes with this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Pasta. Perfect for busy weeknight dinners and it loved by children and adults! This pasta sauce combines roasted red bell peppers, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, ricotta and basil for loads of flavor and pure comfort.
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454 g) pasta of choice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 16 oz (454 g) container of whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, torn my hand
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (variety packed in oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender place the garlic, herbs, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and ricotta cheese. Blend for 2 minutes or until silky smooth in the food processor or blender, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container once or twice with a spatula*. Leave sauce in the blender for later use when adding the reserved pasta water.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt the water and taste it. It should taste salty like the sea. Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining the pasta reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta water to the blender and pulse a few more times.
- Remove the sauce from the blender and place in a large serving bowl. Toss immediately with hot pasta. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve hot! Mangia! (Eat!)
Notes
*Make the sauce ahead and store in an air tight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Add the reserved pasta water when ready to make and serve.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
One of my very favorite meals! So delicious & so easy!
Happy you love it! So easy too!
Loved this simple but flavorful dish! My kids couldn’t get enough of it, perfect for a rushed weeknight. I’ve also had family over and served this dish with bruschetta and salad and everyone asked for the recipe. This is a must try recipe!
I love how easy it is! We’ve added grilled shrimp on the side and it is so yummy too.
This sauce is delicious and so easy to make. Packs a nice punch of flavor. I love the little tang it has. Another great one Elena!
Yes! So easy to make too! Thank you.
So easy and so creamy! Was looking for a quick pasta for dinner that had a new element for my kiddos to try. Creating pink sauce makes red peppers easy for kids. I made it with rigatoni, next time I’ll use a slightly smaller shape like penne I think. We added peas and sprinkled with feta cheese on top.
I warmed up some mini pita breads to dip in the sauce on the side. So yum.
Yay! So happy everyone loved it! I love your additions to the dish.
Delicious and super easy!
Happy you loved it, Dani!
The sauce was so easy, I couldn’t believe how delicious it turned out. I made a batch to keep at work and throw on pasta for an easy lunch.
I love it as a dip too!