Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella

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I’m not what you would call a cold-weather fan. My interest in the outdoors starts to wane when the thermometer dips below freezing. But I do like mugs of hot tea, throw blankets, the thrill of taking off wet socks, and cozy bowls of food like this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella. This dish features a silky roasted red pepper sauce that clings to tender pieces of pasta topped with gooey strands of fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. This is the perfect nosh for those blustery nights ahead, so let’s dive right in.

I have an affinity for roasted red pepper dishes. Roasted red pepper pizza, roasted red pepper humus, roasted red pepper soups, and sauces – I cannot get enough of them. I don’t think this information is particularly noteworthy. A good many people love roasted red pepper, that’s why you can get a jar of them at any grocery store. But what I do think is strange, is that I don’t particularly like red peppers anywhere else. It’s not that I hate them, I don’t have to pick peppers out of my stir fry or anything. I just sort of think of them as filler. They don’t bring much to the table in terms of flavor and as far as texture goes they’re nothing special. So why then do I adore roasted red peppers? Well, it’s because they’re sort of a different species. 

When roasted, red peppers take on a new flavor and a new texture. It’s sort of like the difference between a homemade marshmallow versus a store-bought one – it’s hard to believe they are technically the same thing. And if you’ve never had a homemade marshmallow and have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m going to have to ask you to rectify that immediately. Life is too short not to experience the superiority of a handmade marshmallow. But this article isn’t about marshmallows. I know, it sort of seems like it is but this post is actually about Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, which surprisingly doesn’t contain marshmallows. 

The first thing we’re going to do is roast our red peppers. Cut two red bell peppers in half and remove the stems and the seeds. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper cut side down. Place the peppers under the broiler and let them go for 40 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through. They will turn very black, I promise this isn’t a problem. Quite the opposite – this is what we want. 

I realize putting anything under the broiler for 40 minutes sounds insane. But you’re just going to have to trust me. It’s not just that we want the skin to turn black, we want the pepper itself to soften, so it can be pureed to silky perfection. If you feel like your peppers are overdone, I can almost guarantee you they are not. 

Once your peppers are good and black, transfer them to a heatproof container with a lid. Seal the peppers in the container while they are still hot and leave them like that for 10 minutes. The steam from the peppers will make the skins slide right off, which is our next step. Extract your peppers from the container and peel away the blackened skin. Pop the peppers in a food processor and blitz until they are very smooth and silky. Pour the puree into a bowl and set it aside. You can do all of this a day or two in advance if you want. I realize it’s a little time-consuming. 

With the peppers roasted and pureed the hard part is over. From here this is a straight-ahead pasta dish. Start by heating olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add some shallots and a pinch of salt. Sauté until just translucent and stir in some minced garlic. Sauté briefly before transferring the garlic and shallots to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Melt butter in the skillet and whisk in some flour to form a roux. This all looks nice and familiar, doesn’t it? Add some dry vermouth or a splash of white wine and some tomato paste for a little sweetness. Gradually whisk in some milk until a nice silky sauce forms. 

Once you have a skillet of creamy creamy sauce, it’s time to add everything back in. Stir in a heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard. You won’t taste the mustard, it’s there to add a little dimension and depth to the sauce. Next, return the shallots and garlic to the skillet and pour in the roasted red pepper puree. Stir the sauce until no streaks remain. Once everything is in there, you can taste the sauce and add salt accordingly. Add your cooked pasta, any short pasta will do, and toss to coat.

Now all that remains is to plate this beauty up. Spoon the pasta into bowls and tear a ball of fresh mozzarella into strips. Pile the mozzarella on top of the hot pasta and garnish with fresh basil leaves and chili flakes. And that’s everything you need to know about this Roasted Red Pepper Pasta! Blissfully simple and deeply satisfying, say hello to your new favorite comfort food. 

Enjoy!