This roasted red pepper pasta is ready in 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients, including high-protein red lentil pasta. Tossed with a rich homemade red pepper sauce and vegan parmesan cheese, it’s sure to become a new favourite weeknight dinner meal!
This vegan roasted red pepper pasta is on my Top 10 pantry dinners list. It comes together easily, has loads of savoury flavour, and it’s gluten-free! I made mine with Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli . I was so excited when they sent me their pasta to try, since I love using gluten-free pasta to up the protein of my dishes.
Seeing that their lentil pasta has 26 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce portion (about 2 servings) was very enticing because I could easily hit my protein goals with it. Apart from the beautiful colour, the next wonderful surprise was how well this held up in my favorite red pepper pasta sauce!
What Makes This Roasted Red Pepper Pasta So Great
- Gluten-free and vegan. But this red pepper pasta is so delicious, it’s loved by all!
- Rich, red pepper sauce. The homemade red pepper pasta sauce uses non-dairy creamer and vegan Parmesan cheese, and it’s ready in minutes in the blender .
- One pan. Aside from blending the sauce, this pasta dinner comes together in a single skillet for quick and easy clean-up.
Notes on the Ingredients
I always struggled with gluten-free pastas falling apart or becoming mushy, but I can say with confidence that Pasta Lenti’s does not! I even overcooked it once by accident, and it was still fine. It’s been a pantry staple ever since. I highly recommend checking out their pasta, which you can do here .
In the meantime, these are some quick notes on the pasta and the rest of the ingredients you’ll need to make your roasted red pepper pasta. Scroll to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe.
- Red Lentil Pasta by Pasta Lensi – As you can tell, the star of the show! I love using gluten-free pastas because they immediately up the protein of any and all pasta dishes by so much. Be sure to cook according to package directions.
- Non-Dairy Creamer – Helps make the sauce incredibly creamy! I used unsweetened oat creamer; you can also sub a thick vegan milk or try your hand at making vegan heavy cream from scratch (super easy!).
- Roasted red peppers – You can roast your peppers yourself, or use the store-bought peppers that come in a glass jar like I did.
- Fresh or roasted garlic – Either one works. Roasted garlic gives a deeper flavour.
- Onion – Yellow onion, shallot, or any onion works here.
- Basil leaves – Fresh or dried basil is optional, but adds a really nice flavour to the sauce.
- Vegan parmesan cheese – My homemade vegan parmesan cheese recipe works perfectly to bring a slight cheesiness to this sauce. You can also use your favorite store-bought brand.
Why You Should Save Your Pasta Water
I include a note to reserve about ¼ to ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before you drain your lentil pasta. Don’t skip this step or try to replace it with regular water. The starchiness in leftover pasta water helps emulsify the sauce, making it creamy and clingy so it thoroughly coats the pasta.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Pasta, Step-by-Step
This red lentil pasta with red pepper sauce takes very little effort, and the flavours are second to none. Roasted red peppers are such a great ingredient in this recipe, just as they are in my roasted red pepper hummus ! You’ll love the sweet-savouriness and how quick the sauce is to make. Let’s get started.
- First, cook the pasta. In a well-salted pot of boiling water, cook your pasta according to the directions on the box. Afterward, reserved about ½ cup of the starchy water. Drain the rest and set the pasta aside for now.
Red Pepper Pasta Sauce
Cook the pasta.
- Sauté the garlic and onion. While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and softened. Sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, and stir to combine again.
Combine the sauce ingredients.
- Combine and blend the sauce. Let the onions cool slightly, and add them to your blender alongside the non-dairy creamer, roasted red peppers, basil seasoning/basil, sea salt and pepper, and vegan parmesan cheese. Blend until the sauce is completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Finish the Pasta
Warm up the pasta sauce.
- Heat the sauce. Now, pour the roasted red pepper pasta sauce back into your saucepan. Warm the pan over medium-low heat until the sauce is slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Put it all together. Lastly, add your pasta to the sauce and toss or stir to coat. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Top with extra vegan parmesan cheese, basil, and red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil if desired. Enjoy!
Cooking Tip: Add the Pasta Straight From the Pot
For an even creamier red pepper pasta, prepare your sauce while the pasta boils. When it’s done, use a slotted spoon to scoop the cooked pasta immediately into the roasted red pepper sauce along with the pasta water. It saves having to drain and add it separately!
Recipe Notes and Variations
- Avoid overcooked pasta. This is especially important with gluten-free pasta. Pasta Lensi pasta is actually a lot more resistant to overcooking than a lot of the gluten-free pastas I have used, which is great, so still ensure to follow the package directions and the timing on the lower end, since you’ll be adding the pasta into the sauce for a few minutes too.
- Don’t rinse the pasta. The extra starch will definitely help it to stick. I actually like adding it right into the sauce from the pot – like slotting it immediately over.
- Don’t overheat the sauce. Cook the final sauce and pasta on a nice, slow heat, so everything comes together without burning.
- Add a spicy garnish. Top with some Calabrian chili oil (or any chili oil), extra basil, and extra parmesan cheese!
What to Serve With Your Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Serve this easy red pepper pasta with vegan garlic parmesan dinner rolls or soft and fluffy gluten-free dinner rolls for soaking up all that delicious sauce. This hearty pasta dinner also goes well with a fresh green salad, beet salad , or apple pecan salad with vegan feta.
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover roasted red pepper pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftover red pepper pasta sauce can be jarred separately and kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Reheat. Warm the pasta in the sauce on the stovetop, or in the microwave until it’s hot throughout.
More Pasta Dinner Recipes
- Vegan Garlic Alfredo Pasta
- Pumpkin Alfredo Pasta
- Rasta Pasta
- Pasta Primavera
- Vegan Pesto Pasta
- Creamy Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic , minced or roasted garlic
- 1 onion
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Non-dairy creamer
- 16 ounce jar of roasted red peppers , or 2-3 large roasted red peppers
- 3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
- ¼ to ½ cup pasta water
Optional add ins:
- ½ teaspoon dried basil seasoning or a few basil leaves
Instructions
- In a well-salted pot of boiling water, cook the Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli according to the directions on the box. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
- While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and softened. Sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, and stir to combine again.
- Let cool slightly, and add them into your blender alongside the non-dairy creamer, roasted red peppers, basil seasoning/basil, sea salt and pepper and vegan parmesan cheese. Blend until completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the sauce back into your saucepan and heat through over medium low heat until slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Add your pasta with a slotted spoon immediately into the roasted red pepper sauce along with the pasta water. Stir completely to coat the pasta in the sauce and until the pasta water is fully mixed into the sauce too. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Top with extra vegan parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes/chili oil and basil and enjoy!
Roasted Red Pepper Lentil Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 box Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced or roasted garlic
- 1 onion
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Non-dairy creamer
- 16 ounce jar of roasted red peppers or 2-3 large roasted red peppers
- 3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
- ¼ to ½ cup pasta water
Optional add ins:
- ½ teaspoon dried basil seasoning or a few basil leaves
Instructions
- In a well-salted pot of boiling water, cook the Pasta Lensi Red Lentil Fusilli according to the directions on the box. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
- While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add in the garlic and the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and softened. Sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, and stir to combine again.
- Let cool slightly, and add them into your blender alongside the non-dairy creamer, roasted red peppers, basil seasoning/basil, sea salt and pepper and vegan parmesan cheese. Blend until completely combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Pour the sauce back into your saucepan and heat through over medium low heat until slightly bubbling, about 3 minutes.
- Add your pasta with a slotted spoon immediately into the roasted red pepper sauce along with the pasta water. Stir completely to coat the pasta in the sauce and until the pasta water is fully mixed into the sauce too. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Top with extra vegan parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes/chili oil and basil and enjoy!
Nutrition
Roasted Red Pepper Lentil Pasta https://jessicainthekitchen.com/roasted-red-pepper-pasta/ November 12, 2021
Cozy pumpkin spices and a vanilla-scented vegan custard make this pumpkin French toast the perfect plant-based holiday breakfast! And it’s easy enough to whip up anytime a cozy craving hits. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, candied pecans, or a dollop of homemade coconut cream.
This vegan pumpkin French toast puts a cozy fall spin on my classic vegan French toast recipe. It’s just as tasty as the original, with the same delicately crisp exterior and pillowy soft insides. This time, every bite is packed with rich pumpkin and warm fall spices. It’s a festive treat that everyone can enjoy if you make it for a holiday breakfast or brunch!
Why You Need to Make Pumpkin French Toast This Fall
- Great for special occasions and everyday breakfasts. My vegan French toast is easy enough to whip up whenever you’re craving a warm, satisfying breakfast or something deliciously pumpkin-spiced, even outside of the holiday season.
- Perfect for meal prep . Make a double batch of French toast and freeze half for later. You can thaw out slices and warm them up with syrup for quick, tasty breakfasts with your morning latte !
- Loads of cozy flavour . This recipe is packed with the warm, cozy fall spices we all love. I love making it in the days before and after Thanksgiving!
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Unsweetened almond milk – You can use another plant-based milk that you have on hand.
- Flax egg – This is a vegan egg substitute. Learn how to make a flax egg in five minutes with just flaxseed meal and water.
- Vanilla extract – You can use an equal amount of real vanilla paste if needed.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Pumpkin pie spice is a fragrant blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Apple pie spice also works well, since it shares many of the same spices. You could also use any mix of the individual spices listed here. I like to add extra cinnamon, too.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure to use plain, unsweetened puree, and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Maple syrup – Pure maple syrup is non-negotiable! Avoid artificially flavored pancake syrup.
- Thick-sliced bread – The best bread for French toast is day-old bread. I like to use a crusty loaf, like French bread, Italian ciabatta, or homemade Dutch oven bread . Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free bread .
Optional Toppings
- Maple syrup – Again, this should be real maple syrup. If you eat honey, this can be used instead.
- Extra cinnamon – Mix 1 part cinnamon with 4 parts sugar to make cinnamon sugar if you’d like.
- Coconut cream – Make homemade coconut whipped cream or use your preferred vegan whipped cream from the store.
- Candied pecans – I love chopping up candied pecans to crumble on top of my pumpkin French toast. Plain or toasted pecans, walnuts, and almonds are also great options.
- Chocolate chips – For extra indulgence, sprinkle over cacao nibs or vegan chocolate chips.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin French Toast
This pumpkin French toast comes together exactly like traditional French toast, with the addition of real pumpkin in the vegan custard. Follow these steps:
Whisk the custard.
- Make the custard . Whisk together all of the ingredients except the bread in a large bowl. Place the bowl in your freezer for about 15 minutes, or until the batter has thickened a bit. Remove from the freezer and whisk again.
- Dip the French toast . Melt 2-3 tablespoons vegan butter in a pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dip the bread into the batter, one side at a time (don’t let it soak).
Coat both sides.
- Pan-fry. Place the dipped French toast slices immediately onto the griddle. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy on the edges, working in batches.
- Garnish and serve . Top pumpkin French toast with maple syrup, cinnamon, coconut cream, or any other garnishes you like.
Tips for the Best Vegan French Toast
- About the flax egg . The flax meal you’ll need to make the flax egg is ground-up flax seeds; you can buy it that way, or you can buy whole flax seeds and grind them yourself.
- If you use homemade pumpkin puree , I recommend draining the puree using a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels. Place the pumpkin puree in the sieve and let any excess liquid drain off before using it in the recipe.
- Keeping the French toast from sticking . If needed, wipe the griddle clean and re-coat it with butter in between batches to keep the pumpkin French toast from sticking.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Refrigerate. Store leftover pumpkin French toast in an airtight container with wax paper between layers.
- Reheat. Reheat the slices in a toaster oven, on the griddle, or in the microwave.
- Freeze. Stash the cooked French toast in a freezer bag or airtight container, separating layers with wax paper to keep them from sticking together. Reheat from frozen in the microwave or a 350ºF oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bread.
More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Chia Pudding
- Creamy Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax eggs – Learn how to make a flax egg or see notes*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 8 slices thick toast bread
OPTIONAL
- Maple syrup , for serving
- Extra cinnamon , for sprinkling
- Coconut cream* , for topping
- Candied pecans , for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all the ingredients except the bread. Whisk together and place in your freezer for the batter to set up and get thicker for 15 minutes.
- When the batter is thicker, whisk again.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegan butter in a pan/griddle over medium high heat until hot.
- Dip the toast into the batter, do NOT soak them, and place in the pan/on the griddle to pan fry.
- Pan fry on each side for 3-5 minutes until it is crispy on the outside (check to ensure it doesn’t burn), then turn over and pan fry on the other side. Both sides should be nice and golden and crispy.
- If your pan can hold all the bread, you can put them in all at once, or in two batches.
- Serve immediately topped with maple syrup, dusted with cinnamon and coconut cream.
Notes
- Flax meal is ground up flax seeds. Learn how to make a flax egg at this blog post. You can buy flax meal or you can ground flax seeds up in a coffee grinder or NutriBullet. Measure the tablespoon after the flax is ground up.
- To make gluten-free: You can make this gluten free by using a gluten free loaf of bread.
- How to store: You can store these in the fridge or freezer with wax paper between them in an airtight tupperware container. You can reheat them in the toaster oven or on a griddle.
- How to freeze: Freeze French toast in a freezer bag or airtight container, separating layers with wax paper. Reheat from frozen in the microwave or in a 350ºF oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bread.
