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25-Minute Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (No Heavy Cream!)

DF Dairy-Free V Vegetarian
Posted by Jess Larson on September 18th, 2025
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE SALES LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY FULL DISCLAIMER POLICY FOR DETAILS.

This 25-Minute Creamy Red Pepper Pasta With Rigatoni is wildly creamy (without a drop of heavy cream, cheese, or cashews!). Instead, the velvety sauce is made with an emulsion of jarred roasted red peppers, garlic, and basil-infused olive oil with a touch of tomato paste. Toss with rigatoni to capture the glossy, smoky-sweet sauce in all its ridges for a weeknight-friendly pasta dinner that just happens to be vegan.

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A plate of rigatoni pasta coated in creamy red pepper sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese, with a fork resting on the side.
Photography by Casey Colodny
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 20 min
Serves: 4-6

How I Finally Cracked the Code on a Luscious, Cream-Free Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

This recipe has been my Achilles’ heel for 4 years, but I’m proud to say I’ve finally nailed it. 💪🏼

PWWB readers love my Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup because it’s an easy, one-pot dinner with the most comforting, velvety texture. So I had the idea to bring those same flavors into a cozy pepper-forward pasta dinner. Relatively straightforward, right? Wrong. 😅

I wanted the smoky-sweet roasted red pepper flavor to shine, but it was a delicate balance, and many of the variations I tried fell flat. Adding heavy cream, similar to my soup, completely drowned out the peppers, and canned tomatoes pushed it too far into marinara territory. 🤷🏻‍♀️

✨But THEN✨I had an idea to ditch the dairy altogether and create the silky texture using an olive oil emulsion. It absolutely nailed it. 🪄

Blending the peppers with a garlic and herb-infused olive oil was the best way to preserve the roasted red pepper flavor while achieving that lusciousness I was after. The result is every bit as indulgent as a cream or cashew-based sauce—but it’s 100% vegan!

A bowl of rigatoni pasta in creamy roasted red pepper sauce, topped with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves, with a fork resting on the side and a lemon in the background. this Recipe for Later!
Aromatic olive oil and smoky-sweet roasted peppers ended up being the unexpected secret to the red pepper-rich pasta dinner I’d been chasing for years.
A top view of ingredients for pasta: a bag of rigatoni, jar of roasted red peppers, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic, lemon, basil, sliced onions, red pepper flakes, dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
Simple ingredients like dried pasta, jarred roasted red peppers, tomato paste, garlic, and fresh basil make this a true pantry dinner with minimal prep required.

Jess’ Weeknight Pasta Essentials

How to Make Creamy Red Pepper Pasta (Without Cream!)

This roasted red pepper rigatoni cooks in only 20 minutes! For a perfectly timed dinner, you’ll make the red pepper sauce while boiling the water and cooking the pasta.

A close-up of cooked rigatoni pasta being lifted from boiling water with a wire skimmer, with steam rising in the background.
Step 1: Boil the pasta.
1

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente, reserving a cup of starchy pasta water before draining. I love how every ridge of DeLallo Rigatoni captures the creamy, dreamy red pepper sauce, but other short pasta shapes like penne or ziti work too.

🧑🏻‍🍳Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!

A pot filled with olive oil, fresh basil, sliced garlic, sliced shallots, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and black pepper, ready to be cooked.
Step 2: Infuse the olive oil with aromatics.
2

In a saucepan on the stovetop, gently cook sliced shallot and garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and basil sprigs in plenty of extra-virgin olive oil. Keep the heat low so the aromatics infuse the oil and turn a light golden color without burning. You’ll know it’s ready when it smells sweetly fragrant!

A hand squeezes tomato paste from a tube into a pot with sautéed onions, greens, red pepper flakes, and oil.
Step 3: Add the tomato paste.
3

Once the oil is infused, stir the tomato paste into the saucepan and cook until it deepens in color. Tomato paste is the secret to taming the natural bitterness in the red peppers without overpowering their flavor! Its rich flavor adds just enough tomato sweetness for a balanced red pepper sauce.

Bright orange sauce is swirling rapidly inside a blender, forming a vortex around the metal blade at the center. The sauce is creamy and thick, with visible splatters on the blender walls.
Step 4: Emulsify the creamy roasted red pepper sauce.
4

Use a high-speed blender to combine the aromatic-infused olive oil with jarred roasted red peppers, lemon juice, and the reserved pasta water. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a silky-smooth sauce!

A close-up of rigatoni pasta coated in a creamy red pepper sauce, with several pieces being held up by a wooden spoon.
Step 5: Finish the roasted red pepper pasta.
5

Pour the red pepper pasta sauce into the pot of cooked rigatoni, simmering 1-2 minutes longer to let the flavors meld together. The starchy water in the sauce will help it cling to the ridges of the rigatoni, but you can add a splash more water if it needs loosening up. To help tighten the sauce, simply turn up the heat.

A bowl of rigatoni pasta coated in a creamy roasted red pepper sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated cheese, with a fork resting on the side. Small dishes of chili flakes, basil, and cheese are nearby.
The result is a trattoria-worthy dinner with a luxurious texture—you’d never guess it was vegan!

Serving Suggestions

This roasted red pepper pasta is a beautifully satisfying plant-based meal on its own, but I always love serving it with a simple Mixed Green Side Salad for some extra veggies.

If you’d like to bulk up your dinner a bit more, toss in some Crispy Parmesan Chicken Cutlets, Seared Scallops, or Juicy Chicken Meatballs—all pair beautifully with the creamy roasted red pepper pasta sauce.

A plate of rigatoni pasta with creamy red pepper sauce, topped with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves, sits next to a fork on a light-colored surface.
Silky-smooth sauce, perfectly al dente pasta, and bold roasted red pepper flavor—this pasta dish delivers it all with very minimal effort!

I can’t wait for you to try this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta With Rigatoni! If you do, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!

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Close-up of rigatoni pasta coated in creamy red pepper sauce, garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves.

25-Minute Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (No Heavy Cream!)

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian, American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This 25-Minute Creamy Red Pepper Pasta With Rigatoni is wildly creamy (without a drop of heavy cream, cheese, or cashews!).

Instead, the velvety sauce is made with an emulsion of jarred roasted red peppers, garlic, and basil-infused olive oil with a touch of tomato paste.

Toss with rigatoni to capture the glossy, smoky-sweet sauce in all its ridges for a weeknight-friendly pasta dinner that just happens to be vegan.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously season with salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a large liquid measuring cup into the pot to reserve about 1 ½ cups of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta—do not rinse. Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!Close-up of cooked rigatoni pasta being drained in a metal strainer, with visible ridges and a shiny, yellow surface.
     
  2. Meanwhile, infuse the oil and soften the aromatics: Add the olive oil, shallot, garlic, basil sprigs, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if using) to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and infused well, 8-10 minutes—the garlic and shallot should only turn lightly golden, so adjust the heat as needed to avoid browning.Close-up of leftover bits of vegetables, chili flakes, and oil on a yellow-orange plate, showing wilted greens, sliced garlic, and seasonings in an oily residue.
  3. Add the tomato paste to the oil, stirring well to combine. Cook until fragrant and deepened in color, 3-4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and discard the spent basil sprigs.A close-up of sizzling hot chili oil with red chili flakes, a whole dried chili pepper, and vibrant orange-red oil swirling together.
  4. Blend the roasted red pepper sauce: Transfer the infused oil and cooked aromatics from Steps 2-3 to a high-speed blender with the drained roasted red peppers, lemon juice, and ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Blend 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.

    Close-up of a vibrant red-orange sauce or smoothie swirling in a blender, creating a visible vortex in the center with a smooth, glossy texture and some small air bubbles.

  5. Finish the roasted red pepper pasta: Return the drained rigatoni to the pot it was cooked in and set over medium-low heat. Pour in the roasted red pepper sauce and toss to coat evenly. Adjust as needed: if the sauce needs to loosen up, add a splash of reserved pasta water; if the sauce needs to tighten, increase the heat slightly. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, letting the pasta meld with the sauce, then remove from heat.Close-up of rigatoni pasta coated in a creamy, orange tomato sauce, with a spoon partially visible underneath some of the pasta pieces.
  6. Serve: Portion the red pepper pasta into individual bowls. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs or grated parmesan as desired. Enjoy!A bowl of rigatoni pasta coated in creamy tomato sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese, with a fork on the side.

Equipment

Notes

Jess’ Tips and Tricks:

  • Pasta: I suggest serving this roasted red pepper sauce with rigatoni—the sauce gets trapped in the ridges and tunnels, making each bite extra-flavorful. Other tubular and/or twirly pastas (penne, fusilli) work well for the same reasons. If you prefer long pasta, try linguine or fettuccine. 
  • Serving Suggestions: This roasted red pepper pasta is beautifully satisfying on its own (and vegan!). If you’d like to bulk it up a little bit, try pairing it with a Mixed Green Side Salad and Crispy Parmesan Chicken Cutlets, Seared Scallops, or Juicy Chicken Meatballs.

Storage Instructions:

  • Storage and Reheating: Leftover roasted red pepper pasta will keep, stored in an airtight containers in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. Reheat the pasta on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding an extra splash of water or cooking stock to loosen up the red pepper sauce as needed, until warmed through.

Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!

A bowl of rigatoni pasta coated in creamy roasted red pepper sauce, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, with a fork resting on the side.
A bowl of rigatoni pasta coated in creamy red pepper sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated cheese. A fork rests on the side of the bowl.

Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 9.19.25
    Frazer Mowat said:

    I’ll Make This Tonight For Me & My Fiancéé.

    Reply
    • 9.19.25
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Looking forward to hearing what you think!

      Reply
  2. 9.18.25
    Joe Wagner said:

    One of the prettiest presentations I’ve seen. Nice job.
    Will try soon.
    Regards,
    Joe

    Reply
    • 9.18.25
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Can’t wait to hear what you think, Joe! 🙂

      Reply