PASTA & PEAS + RED PEPPER ROMESCO SAUCE
Creamy romesco can be made into a great pasta sauce! Add some sweet peas for protein and color, a sprinkle of almond parmesan for extra flavor, and this is a great pasta dish!
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: Entree, Pasta
- Cuisine: Vegan, Italian
Ingredients
- 12 – 16 oz. pasta of choice (I used rigatoni)
- 1 package (12 -16oz) frozen peas or 2 1/2 cups fresh
Romesco Sauce
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 4 roasted bell peppers or 1 jar (14 oz.) roasted bell peppers, drained
- 2 – 3 large garlic cloves or 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup vegetable broth or water
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (sherry, red or white wine is ok too)
- 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- mineral salt, to taste
To serve
- chopped basil, parsley, or mint
- almond parmesan
- fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Bell Peppers: Wash and dry bell peppers, slice in half, remove stems and seeds, place on a rimmed baking sheet cut side down. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, turning the baking sheet 180 degrees after 20 minutes. Steam peppers in an airtight container for at least 20 minutes. Remove skin. For a more detailed overview of roasting peppers follow this link: How To Roast Peppers
Pasta: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. About 3 minutes before the pasta is ready, add peas and finish cooking together. Drain pasta and peas in a colander. Set aside.
Romesco Sauce: In a food processor/high-speed blender, add almonds and pulse or process until roughly chopped. Add in the bell peppers, garlic, broth/water, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Blend until desired consistency. Taste for flavors and adjust as needed. You may find you need a little more salt, especially if you’ve used water instead of vegetable broth.
Combine: Bring the pasta and peas back to the pot they were cooked in. Add the romesco sauce and gently mix until pasta is well coated. Warm mixture over low heat if needed.
Serve with a sprinkle of almond parmesan and chopped herbs of choice. Enjoy!
Serves 4 – 6
Store: Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days. For longer storage, you can freeze for up to 2 – 3 months. Reheat on the stove until warmed through, adding a splash of vegetable broth to loosen the sauce. Can also be microwaved.
Notes
Use the called for 12 oz of pasta if you prefer saucier pasta. For the pasta, you can use just about any pasta you like. I would tend to stick with short-shaped pasta such as rigatoni, shells, farfalle, penne, fusilli, elbow, etc.
Add in 1 can (15 oz) of chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups freshly cooked for added protein when combining everything into the pot.
Add in 1/4 – 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes if you like. They will add sweetness, color, and texture. Add these in when adding the peas to cook with the pasta. It will help soften and re-hydrate them.
Feel free to add 1/4 cup of good olive oil to the sauce if you like. I’ve kept this version oil-free but it is more traditional to add oil, and it would be great if you don’t mind it.
Make this a dip by omitting the broth/water and adding a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
Make GF by using a gluten-free similar sized pasta of choice.
Nutritional information includes 16oz of pasta.
Find it online: https://simple-veganista.com/pasta-peas-romesco-sauce/