If you’re looking for a flavor-packed, super simple weekday dinner, this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is going to be right up your alley. This skillet features freshly roasted red peppers, sweet Italian chicken sausage, and pasta tossed in a simple fire roasted tomato sauce.
Ingredients for Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Red peppers – roasted to perfection and thinly sliced.
- Pasta – cavatappi, rotini, penne, rigatoni all work great
- Italian chicken sausage links – a healthier alternative to normal pork sausage. You can also sub in Italian turkey sausage or crumbled sausage.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – forms the base of the fire roasted red pepper sauce.
- Reserved pasta water – for a little extra starchiness.
- Fire roasted tomatoes – sweet and subtly smoky addition to the red pepper sauce.
- Spinach – healthy addition of greens.
- Seasonings – garlic cloves, salt, and pepper are simple spices that add a ton of flavor to this recipe.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Roast the Red Peppers
To start, set your oven to broil. If you have the option between low and high, select high.
Wash and dry two red bell peppers. Quarter and deseed the peppers. Rub the quarters with a little olive oil. I use about 1 teaspoon total between the 8 quarters.
Place the peppers cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the peppers begin to blister. The outer skin of the peppers should have a few dark spots.
Remove the peppers from the oven and let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet. Once the peppers are cool to the touch, remove the blistered skins. Toss the skins.
Next, slice the peeled peppers into thin strips. Set aside.
Shortcut: If you need a way to speed up this recipe, try grabbing a jar of roasted red bell peppers from the store. While they aren’t as great as freshly roasted red peppers, they still provide the hearty flavor we’re looking for. I’m a fan of the Sprouts brand, or Mezzetta, which you can find at nearly any grocery store.
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Cook the Pasta
While the peppers are broiling, bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Cook your pasta of choice according to package directions. Cavatappi, rotini, or rigatoni work great in this recipe.
Cook the pasta about 7 to 8 minutes. Test the pasta by biting one noodle in half and checking if the center is white. If the center is still white, cook another minute and test again. The pasta is done when the center is no longer white.
Reserve 1/3 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Brown the Sausage
While the pasta is cooking, slice the sausage links into pieces.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan (I recommend using a 12″ pan) and bring to medium-high heat. Add the sausage in a single layer to the pan. They should begin to sizzle if the pan is hot enough.
Cook the pieces on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip the pieces over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned on the other side.
Remove the sausage from the skillet and cover with tin foil to keep warm. Turn the heat down to medium heat.
Make Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce & Combine
In the same pan that you cooked the sausage in, add the garlic. Saute 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the can of fire roasted tomatoes, reserved pasta water, 3/4 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce cooks down by half.
Add the sausage, roasted red peppers, and pasta to the skillet. If you do not have a large enough skillet you can also add the sausage and roasted red peppers to the pot with the pasta and pour the sauce over the pasta instead.
Toss to combine. Lastly, fold in the spinach. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until the pasta is warmed and the spinach is slightly wilted.
Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Let us know what you think about this recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Pasta by dropping a rating and/or comment below! Also, please consider sharing on social media or Pinterest if you enjoyed this recipe (we greatly appreciate it!)! 💕
Looking for some more dinner ideas? Check these out:
- Apple Chicken Sausage Skillet
- Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew
- Sausage Pizza Zucchini Boats
- One Pot Mushroom and Chickpea Pasta
- Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Miso Butter Farro
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers
- 3 tsp olive oil, divided
- 12 oz cavatappi, penne, or other pasta
- 4 sweet Italian chicken sausage links, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ c low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ c reserved pasta water
- 1 12 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 4 c spinach, packed
Instructions
Roasted Red Peppers
- Heat your oven to high broil. Quarter and deseed the bell peppers. Rub the quarters with a little olive oil (about 1 teaspoon total). Place the peppers cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the peppers begin to blister. The outer skin of the peppers should have a few dark spots. Remove the peppers from the oven and let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet.
- Once the peppers are cool to the touch, remove the blistered skins. Slice the peeled peppers into thin strips. Set aside.
Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Skillet
- While the peppers are broiling, bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Reserve 1/3 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- Slice the sausage links into pieces. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan and bring to medium-high heat. Add the pieces in a single layer to the pan. Cook the pieces on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip the pieces over and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned on the other side. Remove the sausage from the skillet and cover with tin foil to keep warm.
- Turn the heat down to medium heat. In the same pan that you cooked the sausage in, add remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and garlic. Saute garlic 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the can of fire roasted tomatoes, reserved pasta water, 3/4 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sauce cooks down by half.
- Add the sausage, roasted red peppers, and pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine. Lastly, fold in the spinach. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until the pasta is warmed and the spinach is slightly wilted. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- I recommend using a 12″ skillet or frying pan for this recipe. If you do not have a large enough frying pan, add the cooked sausage, peppers, spinach and sauce to the pot with the pasta instead. Toss to combine and serve.
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