Why we love this red pesto pasta
We’ve been making this recipe for ages, and we absolutely love it. It was one of Melissa’s first recipes – before Simply Whisked even went dairy free, or existed for that matter. This is the original version of that recipe with real cheese, fresh basil and flavorful roasted red peppers.
The sauce recipe makes enough for two pounds of pasta, so you can enjoy one now and freeze the other half for later. It will also stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks. Serve with al dente linguine and garnish with fresh basil for a gorgeous dinner.
– Melissa + Theresa
→ More pesto pasta recipes: pesto pasta salad recipe / sun dried tomato pesto sauce / genovese pesto / pesto gnocchi
Ingredient notes:
- Roasted red peppers – Don’t buy pickled peppers. I can’t tell you how many times I have made this mistake because I didn’t read the package. Look for ones without vinegar listed.
- Slivered almonds – You don’t need to buy slivered almonds but it makes the blending process easier for your food processor and quicker for you. Plus you will likely end up with a better consistency to your sauce.
- Pecorino romano cheese – This is our favorite cheese for pasta, but any grated parmesan-style cheese will work.
- Fresh basil – You definitely need to use fresh basil leaves for a great pesto recipe. Plus, this is a great recipe for using basil you have in your garden.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Our favorite recipe tips:
- Cook your pasta to al dente. Al dente means the pasta still has a slight bite to it — not mushy, not crunchy. Start checking a minute or two before the package says it’s done. It will continue to cook slightly after draining.
- Drain your peppers. If you’re using store-bought roasted red peppers, you want to make sure you drain them. Otherwise, the excess liquid and oil will water down your pesto sauce.
- It’s a double batch. This recipe makes enough for two pounds of pasta. Feel free to freeze your extra for 6 months, or store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. To use frozen pesto, thaw it in the fridge overnight and toss with freshly cooked pasta and some hot pasta water until heated through.
The Pasta Twins always say save a little pasta water before draining your pasta. It helps your sauce bind to the pasta and it can help thicken or thin the sauce to your liking – thanks to the magic starches!
More bell pepper pasta recipes
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces linguine
- ½ cup pasta water (reserved)
- 1 cup roasted red bell peppers
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 large garlic clove (peeled)
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
- ⅓ cup grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the pesto. Add the pesto ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Divide sauce into two containers.
- Cook the pasta. Cook pasta to al denté, according to package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup reserved pasta water before draining.
- Combine pasta with sauce. Stir pasta with sauce, adding about 2 tablespoons of pasta water at a time until pasta is well coated and sauce is creamy.
- Garnish and serve. Divide pasta between plates and top with additional grated cheese and fresh basil. Serve immediately.
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