Vegan Creamy Roasted Pepper Pasta

There was this Tuesday evening when my partner mentioned wanting something creamy but totally plant-based, and I stood in front of the pantry wondering how to make that magic happen without cream. That's when I spotted the can of lentils and remembered those roasted red peppers from the farmer's market, and suddenly it clicked—blend them together and you get something silky and luxurious that tastes indulgent but feels genuinely nourishing. This pasta dish became my answer to that challenge, and now it's the one I make when I want to prove that vegan cooking isn't about sacrifice.

I served this to my skeptical coworker who always questioned my vegan cooking, and watching her go back for seconds while asking for the recipe was a quiet victory I still think about. She kept saying it tasted like something from a proper Italian kitchen, which meant everything because I wasn't trying to replicate dairy—I was just trying to create something delicious on its own terms.

Ingredients

• Pasta (340 g penne or fusilli): The shape matters here because those little tubes and spirals catch the creamy sauce beautifully, and the starch helps create a silkier finish when it mingles with the sauce water.
• Roasted red peppers (2 large): These bring smokiness and sweetness that grounds the whole dish, and buying them jarred is absolutely fine if roasting feels like too much work on a given day.
• Cooked lentils (120 g): Brown or green lentils are your friend here because they blend completely into the sauce while adding protein, body, and an earthy depth that makes the dish feel substantial.
• Plant-based milk (120 ml): Oat milk gives the creamiest result, though any unsweetened variety works—just taste as you go because some brands have stronger flavors than others.
• Nutritional yeast (2 tbsp): This is the secret that adds a savory, umami-rich quality that makes people wonder if there's parmesan hiding in there somewhere.
• Smoked paprika (1 tsp): A small amount transforms the sauce with warmth and complexity, making it taste like you spent hours building flavors when really you've been quite efficient.
• Olive oil (2 tbsp total): Use a fruity variety if you have it because it becomes part of the flavor profile, not just a cooking medium.
• Garlic (3 cloves), onion (1 medium), tomato paste (1 tbsp): These three create the aromatic foundation that makes the whole kitchen smell like something wonderful is happening.

Instructions

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Start the pasta water:

Get your largest pot filled with salted water and bring it to a rolling boil—this is your foundation, so don't skip the salt. Once it's boiling hard, add your pasta and cook according to the package, but here's the trick: reserve that starchy pasta water before draining because it's liquid gold for adjusting your sauce later.

Build the aromatics:

While pasta does its thing, warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and let your chopped onion hang out there for a good 4 to 5 minutes until it turns soft and translucent, then add garlic for just a minute more—you want fragrant, not burnt. This slow start is where flavor gets born.

Make the magic blend:

Dump your sautéed onion and garlic into a blender along with those roasted peppers, drained lentils, plant milk, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, and spices, then blend until the whole thing is completely smooth and creamy—this should take about a minute or two. The transformation from chunky ingredients to silky sauce never gets old.

Warm and adjust the sauce:

Pour that blended sauce back into your skillet over low heat, stir in the remaining olive oil, then start adding reserved pasta water just a splash at a time until you reach the consistency you want—thicker for clinging to pasta, thinner for more of a coating. Taste it now and adjust salt and pepper because this is your moment to make it perfect.

Bring it all together:

Add your drained hot pasta directly to the sauce and toss everything for a minute or two until it's coated and warmed through, which shouldn't take long since both components are already hot. The pasta will absorb some of that sauce and become even richer.

Serve with intention:

Get it onto plates quickly while it's at peak temperature and finish with fresh basil, a sprinkle of vegan parmesan, and maybe a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes for those who like heat.

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One evening I made this for my sister who was going through a phase of trying to eat lighter, and she sat there quietly for a moment after the first bite and then just said, "This is what I want to eat for the rest of my life." That's when I realized this wasn't just a recipe—it was proof that nourishing yourself and delighting yourself don't have to be separate things.

The Secret of Roasted Red Peppers

Roasting your own peppers is absolutely worth doing if you have the time because the caramelization adds a depth that jarred peppers sometimes can't quite match, but honestly, jarred peppers are a legitimate shortcut that I keep on hand because life is busy and good food matters more than arbitrary restrictions. The key is finding a brand you like and tasting the sauce to adjust seasonings accordingly since some jarred varieties are saltier than others.

Making It Your Own

This dish becomes something entirely new depending on what you decide to add, and I love that flexibility because it means the recipe grows with your mood and your pantry. Sometimes I'll stir in wilted spinach at the very end, other times I'll add sautéed mushrooms for earthiness, and once I even threw in caramelized garlic just to see what would happen—it was transcendent.

Pairing and Storing

Serving this alongside a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette balances the richness beautifully, and a glass of something crisp makes the whole meal feel civilized. Leftovers keep in the fridge for about three days, and they actually taste even better the next day as the flavors settle into each other.

• If the sauce thickens too much when cold, just add a splash of plant milk and stir gently over low heat until it loosens up.
• You can freeze this dish for up to a month, though the pasta texture changes slightly, so it's best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
• This makes a generous four servings, but it easily doubles if you're feeding a crowd or want leftovers for lunch.

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This pasta has become the dish I make when I want to feed people something that nourishes them and shows I was paying attention to what they care about. There's real kindness in that combination of flavors.