Lunch: Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper and Cream Sauce

Recipe by Domenica Marchetti Roasted red peppers and cream sauce deliver rich flavor in this quick and easy pasta recipe. Balsamic vinegar helps balance the natural sweetness of the red peppers.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Basil

Health benefits of Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper and Cream Sauce

Basil is an excellent stress reliever, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked gluten-free seashell pasta (such as Tinkyada)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (12-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Thinly sliced fresh basil (optional)

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add bell peppers; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.
Place bell pepper mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Return bell pepper mixture to pan; cook over low heat until warm. Combine half-and-half and tomato paste in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir tomato mixture into bell pepper mixture, stirring with a whisk until well combined. Stir in ground red pepper.
Combine pasta and bell pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup cheese, tossing to coat. Spoon 1 1/3 cups pasta into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with about 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese. Garnish with basil, if desired.

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