Vegan Creamy Roasted Pepper Pasta (Printer View)

Silky plant-based pasta featuring smoky roasted red peppers and protein-packed lentils in a creamy sauce.

# What you'll 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, 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

# Method:

01 - Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of 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 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - In a blender, combine the 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 the sauce to the skillet over low heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Adjust thickness with reserved pasta water, adding incrementally until desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
05 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss 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. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce tastes indulgent and creamy without a drop of dairy, so even non-vegans will be asking for seconds.
  • Those hidden lentils pack serious protein and make the dish feel substantial enough for a real meal, not a side.
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, perfect for nights when you need dinner on the table but still want something that feels homemade.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pasta water reservation—it's the difference between a sauce that coats beautifully and one that feels gluey or too thin.
  • Taste your blended sauce before adding it to the pasta because that's your only chance to adjust seasoning, and every brand of plant milk has slightly different saltiness.
03 -
  • Invest in a high-speed blender for this—it makes the difference between silky and grainy sauce, and cheap blenders sometimes struggle with lentil texture.
  • Taste constantly while adjusting seasoning because you can't get it back out once it's mixed, but you can always add more salt or paprika in small increments.
Return