Sweet Red Pepper Sauce for Pasta

No cream, no oil, no tomatoes. This pasta sauce gets all its body and sweetness from red bell peppers cooked down with onions and garlic, then blended smooth into a silky, vibrant orange-red sauce.

The peppers cook in water instead of oil, which keeps this sauce remarkably light while letting the natural sweetness of the peppers come through clean and clear. As they soften, the onions melt into the mix and add body without any visible texture after blending.

Red pepper flakes bring a gentle heat that balances the sweetness. Use them or skip them depending on your crowd, but even a small amount rounds out the flavor and keeps the sauce from tasting one-dimensional.

Fresh basil goes in right at the end, after the blending. This keeps its flavor bright and aromatic instead of cooked out and dull. Toss the sauce with any sturdy pasta shape that can hold onto a smooth sauce: penne, rigatoni, or shells all work well.

Kitchen Tips

• Blend the sauce thoroughly for the smoothest texture. Any large pepper pieces left behind will be noticeable.
• Add vegetable stock gradually. You want a sauce that coats pasta, not a soup.
• The sauce thickens as it cools, so keep it a touch thinner than you think it should be.
• Use ripe, deeply red bell peppers. Pale or green-tinged ones will taste bitter.

Variations

• Roast the peppers first for a deeper, smokier flavor before adding them to the pan.
• Stir in a splash of cream or a handful of Parmesan at the end for a richer, non-vegan version.
• Add roasted garlic instead of raw for a mellower, sweeter sauce.