Roasted Red Pepper +
Sweet Potato Pasta
This creamy vegan roasted red pepper pasta is nutrient-packed, kid-friendly, and full of flavor. Using just a few common ingredients, this dish is perfect for a quick dinner – and makes for great leftovers too!
I came up with this recipe by accident, but boy am I glad I did. It was a typical night where I was stumped on what to make for dinner – bored with my usual go-to’s and strapped for time. After having the same leftovers the past few nights, I was ready for something new, and I think it’s safe to say my two-year-old was too.
I’ve been craving creamy vegan pasta a lot during my pregnancy and Caleb is always up for a bowl of noodles, so I thought of my Sweet Potato Mac N’ Cheese. But it just wasn’t striking my fancy at the moment.
I was in the mood for something with a little more…I don’t know, tangy? Plus, I didn’t have any coconut milk, which is key in the vegan mac. However, I did have a red bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes on hand, so I decided to see what would happen if I just added it all to the mix.
I figured it would taste okay, but I was totally floored at just how well the flavors meshed together. The roasted red pepper provides that deep, rich flavor, while the sundried tomato adds the tang I was craving, and the sweet potato balances everything out.
On the nutritional end, sweet potato and bell pepper are great sources of plant-based, immune system-supporting vitamin A and the tofu adds both creaminess and major plant protein to make this dish a complete meal as far as my guidelines go: beans, greens (or in this case oranges and reds), and grains.
You can choose any whole-grain pasta you’d like, but I used Sfoglini Reginetti pasta. It isn’t sponsored, I just love their organic whole grains and fun shapes – and C loves them too! I often use legume pasta for the extra protein, but I decided to go with whole grain this time because the tofu in this recipe does the job with the protein. But this could also be good with a chickpea or lentil pasta.
For added nutrient-density, I like to serve this creamy roasted red pepper pasta with broccoli or sauteed kale on the side (or mixed in). And if you like a little kick, top your pasta with some crushed red pepper!
Roasted Red Pepper + Sweet Potato Pasta
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This plant-based pasta is easy, creamy, and perfect for the whole family!
Author: Whitney English
Recipe type: vegan
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper
- ½ medium sweet potato (~1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 package whole-grain or legume pasta
- ½ block firm tofu, drained and pressed
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½-1 cup of pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Roughly chop the bell pepper, and peel and cube the sweet potato.
- Toss the sweet potato and pepper with olive oil, and place on a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for ~25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cook pasta according to directions, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the cooked pepper and potato, along with the tofu, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, and ½ cup of pasta water. Puree until smooth. Test the sauce and add more salt or pasta water to achieve desired taste and consistency.
- Add the sauce to the drained pasta and enjoy!
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Weigh-in: Have you tried red pepper or sweet potato in your pasta sauce? Will you try this roasted red pepper vegan pasta?
- Whitney
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Karen says:
Is there a suitable substitution for the tofu? Soy irritates my tummy, but I would love to try your recipe.
Karen says:
Is there a suitable substitution for the tofu? Soy irritates my tummy, but I would love to try your recipe.
Whitney E. RD says:
Soaked cashews should work!