This Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is the kind of simple, flavor-packed sauce I love keeping in my weeknight rotation. It's made with roasted red bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, and a splash of coconut milk, cream, or reserved pasta water to create a silky sauce that tastes like it took much more effort than it actually did.
As a cookbook author and recipe developer, I'm always drawn to recipes that turn a few everyday ingredients into something that feels a little special. This sauce does exactly that. Roasting the red bell peppers brings out their natural sweetness, while garlic and tomato paste add savory depth. A little lemon juice or red wine vinegar brightens everything up so the sauce tastes balanced, not heavy.
What I love most about this roasted red bell pepper sauce is how flexible it is. Toss it with pasta for an easy dinner, spoon it over chicken or fish, use it as a sauce for grain bowls, or spread it onto sandwiches and wraps. You can make it creamy with heavy cream, keep it dairy-free with coconut milk, or use pasta water for a lighter, pantry-friendly version.
If you love simple homemade pasta recipes like my pesto rosso, penne pomodoro, or creamy pesto alfredo sauce, this roasted red pepper sauce is another easy recipe to keep in your weeknight rotation.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients
- How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Is Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Vegan?
- Fresh Red Bell Peppers vs. Jarred Roasted Red Peppers
- Tina's Tips and Tricks
- Substitutions and Variations
- Kitchen Equipment
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipe Storage and Reheating
- What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It turns simple ingredients into something special. Roasted red bell peppers, garlic, tomato paste, and olive oil create a sauce that feels rich and flavorful without a long ingredient list.
- It's weeknight-friendly but elevated. The oven does most of the work, and the final sauce tastes like something you'd get with a cozy bowl of pasta at a restaurant.
- It's easy to make creamy or dairy-free. Use heavy cream for a richer sauce, coconut milk for a vegan roasted red pepper sauce, or reserved pasta water for a lighter version.
- It works with more than pasta. This sauce is delicious with chicken, salmon, shrimp, roasted vegetables, grain bowls, sandwiches, and wraps.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Ingredients
- Red Bell Peppers:Â The base of the sauce. Roasting the peppers brings out their sweetness and gives the sauce its signature color and flavor. You'll want to use large red bell peppers for the best yield.
- Garlic:Â Whole garlic cloves roast with the peppers until they become mellow, sweet, and savory. Keeping them whole helps prevent burning.
- Olive Oil:Â Helps the peppers roast and adds richness to the sauce.
- Tomato Paste:Â This is a small but important ingredient. It adds depth, savory flavor, and a more developed taste without needing to simmer the sauce for a long time.
- Kosher Salt:Â Seasons the peppers before roasting and helps bring out their natural flavor.
- Black Pepper:Â Adds warmth and balance.
- Red Pepper Flakes:Â Optional, but I love the subtle heat. Use more or less depending on how spicy you want the sauce.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk, Heavy Cream, or Reserved Pasta Water:Â This is where you can customize the sauce. Coconut milk makes it creamy and dairy-free, heavy cream makes it richer, and reserved pasta water keeps it lighter while helping the sauce cling to pasta.
- Lemon Juice or Red Wine Vinegar:Â A small splash of acid brightens the sauce and balances the sweetness of the roasted peppers.
- Nutritional Yeast:Â Optional, but great if you're making the vegan version. It adds a savory, almost cheesy flavor without dairy.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Roast the Bell Peppers
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the sliced red bell peppers and whole garlic cloves to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, if using. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and lightly charred around the edges.
Blend the Sauce
Transfer the roasted red peppers and garlic to a blender or food processor. Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, if using. Blend until smooth.
Finish and serve
Add ½ cup full-fat coconut milk, heavy cream, or reserved pasta water and blend again until the sauce is silky. Add more liquid as needed to reach your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or red wine vinegar as needed. Serve with pasta, spoon over chicken or fish, or use as a vegetable-forward sauce for grain bowls.
Is Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Vegan?
It can be. Use full-fat coconut milk or reserved pasta water instead of heavy cream, and add nutritional yeast for a savory, dairy-free flavor. The sauce is naturally vegetable-forward and easy to adapt depending on what you have on hand.
Fresh Red Bell Peppers vs. Jarred Roasted Red Peppers
Fresh red bell peppers give this sauce the best flavor because they roast until sweet, tender, and lightly charred. Jarred roasted red peppers are a helpful shortcut, but they can taste a little more briny. If using jarred peppers, drain them well and adjust the lemon juice or vinegar to taste.
Tina's Tips and Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks to make this red pepper cream sauce.
- Roast the peppers until they're truly tender. You want soft, lightly charred edges for the best flavor. If the peppers are under-roasted, the sauce will taste flatter and less sweet.
- Don't mince the garlic before roasting. Whole cloves roast more gently and blend beautifully into the sauce. Minced garlic can burn on the sheet pan.
- Use pasta water if serving with pasta. Reserved pasta water loosens the sauce and helps it cling to the noodles. It's my favorite option if I'm making this as a quick red pepper pasta sauce.
- Use coconut milk if you want a creamy vegan sauce. Full-fat coconut milk gives the sauce body without making it taste overly coconutty, especially with the tomato paste, garlic, and acid.
- Taste at the end. Red bell peppers vary in sweetness, so the final seasoning matters. A little extra salt or lemon juice can make the whole sauce pop.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it vegan:Â Use full-fat coconut milk or reserved pasta water and add nutritional yeast for a savory, dairy-free finish.
- Make it richer:Â Use heavy cream and finish with grated parmesan or pecorino.
- Make it lighter:Â Use reserved pasta water instead of cream or coconut milk.
- Make it spicy:Â Increase the red pepper flakes or blend in a small spoonful of Calabrian chili paste.
- Add herbs:Â Fresh basil, parsley, or oregano are all delicious here. Basil especially works well if you're serving the sauce with pasta.
- Use jarred roasted red peppers:Â You can use jarred roasted red peppers in a pinch. Drain them well, then blend with roasted garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, acid, and your liquid of choice. The flavor won't be quite as fresh and naturally sweet, but it's still a great shortcut.
- Add cheese:Â For a non-vegan version, blend in parmesan or pecorino for a savory, Italian-inspired finish.
Kitchen Equipment
Here are some of the ingredients you'll need for this easy sauce. You can find all of these products on Amazon.
- Food Processor - This food processor is a perfect addition to any home cook's appliance collection. It will take your sauces to the next level! I use my food processor multiple times a week and absolutely love it.
- Baking Sheet - Good quality baking sheets like these are a great investment for your kitchen. They will last you years!
- Good Storage Container - I love these storage containers. They're microwaveable, BPA free, and also great for freezing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Roasted red peppers are just roasted bell peppers. Many recipes call for jarred roasted red peppers, but in this recipe, you will roast the red bell peppers yourself before blending with the other ingredients.
Roasted red pepper sauce is healthy! It's a great healthy addition to pasta, used as a dip, or added to sandwiches.
You can thicken your roasted red pepper sauce by taking 1 tbsp of your sauce and mixing it with 2 tsp of cornstarch. Mix well, and them combine that with the rest of your sauce to thicken.
You can thin roasted red pepper sauce by adding water or olive oil 1 tsp at a time and stirring. Repeat until sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Recipe Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover roasted red pepper sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, warm the sauce gently in a saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of water, pasta water, cream, or coconut milk to loosen it as needed.
- You can also freeze this sauce for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
My favorite way to serve this sauce is with pasta. It works beautifully with rigatoni, penne, fusilli, cavatappi, spaghetti, or linguine. If you're tossing it with pasta, save a little pasta water so you can loosen the sauce and help it coat every bite.
It's also great with:
- Grilled or baked chicken
- Salmon or white fish
- Shrimp
- Roasted cauliflower or broccoli
- Grain bowls with farro, quinoa, or rice
- Sandwiches, wraps, or flatbreads
- Crispy potatoes or roasted vegetables
For a really simple dinner, toss the sauce with pasta and top with parmesan, fresh basil, and crispy breadcrumbs.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large red bell peppers seeded and sliced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk heavy cream, or reserved pasta water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional for vegan version
Instructions
- Roast the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the red bell peppers and garlic to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Roast for 30-35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and lightly charred around the edges.
- Blend the sauce. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add tomato paste, lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and nutritional yeast if using. Blend until smooth.
- Make it creamy. Add coconut milk, heavy cream, or reserved pasta water and blend again until silky. Add more liquid as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Season and serve. Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Serve with pasta, spoon over chicken or fish, or use as a vegetable-forward sauce for grain bowls.
Notes
- Add a pinch of sugar for balance if the sauce is tart
- You can add onion, shallot, or carrot to roast with the peppers for natural sweetness
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or tag us @tasting.with.tina on Instagram!
Allison says
Soooo yummy!
Christina Musgrave says
Thanks Allison, so happy you enjoyed!
Jess says
The coconut milk totally transformed the sauce, such a unique roasted red pepper sauce!!
Christina Musgrave says
Yes it makes it so delicious! We love coconut milk!
Nick says
Love this one!
Christina Musgrave says
It's so good!