Description
Valentine’s Day Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is a creamy and vibrant Italian-inspired dish perfect for a romantic dinner. Featuring sweet roasted red peppers blended with garlic, Parmesan, and cream, this sauce delivers a luscious texture and bold flavor, beautifully coating penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine pasta with a rich Valentine-red hue.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
- Salt, for boiling water
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Extra Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta thoroughly.
- Sauté Garlic: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned, releasing their aroma into the oil.
- Cook Roasted Peppers: Add the drained roasted red peppers to the skillet. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes to warm and soften, blending the garlic flavor into the peppers.
- Blend Sauce: Transfer the garlic and pepper mixture to a blender. Add the heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes if using, and salt and black pepper to taste. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy.
- Warm Sauce: Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet and gently warm it over low heat to meld the flavors without boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat all the pasta evenly. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce as needed for a silky consistency.
- Garnish and Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with fresh basil or parsley and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve warm for a perfect Valentine’s Day meal.
Notes
- Use heart-shaped pasta for an extra festive Valentine flair.
- The sauce can be prepared ahead of time and gently reheated before tossing with pasta.
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp for added protein if desired.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute coconut cream for heavy cream and use vegan Parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
