So, I have a tendency to see pretty fruits and veggies at the grocery store and get all excited to use them, so I buy them, and bring them home with no particular plan for them in mind. This was the case a couple weeks ago with some beautiful red peppers. Of course, they made their way into my fridge and I completely forgot that I had them and they got really soft. However, since I really hate wasting food I did not want to throw them away.
What could I possibly make with really soft red bell peppers? Pasta sauce of course! If they're going to be pureed anyway, it doesn't matter if they've lost their crunch.
As usual, I started by making a fresh batch of almond milk to use for the recipe, leaving it thicker than usual. Then, once I finished using what I needed for the pasta sauce, I added more water to the rest of the milk to make it more like I usually drink.
I also had about 8 ounces of baby portabella mushrooms in the fridge as well, so I figured they'd make a great addition to the pasta. Though, by the time I was done with it I wish I had added way more mushrooms! I made a batch of this big enough to feed both me and my boyfriend, Ryan, for the whole work week as our dinner, along with some herbed carrots and what was left over of his birthday brownies I made last Sunday. So, in the recipe I'll list the amount of mushrooms I wish I had used, rather than how much I actually used.
Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Makes about 14 cups. I had 2 cups per serving, Ryan had 3 cups.
12-14 oz pasta of choice, whatever the box size is (feel free to get gluten free pasta)
2 red bell pepper, whole
2-3 tbsp olive oil, or water to water saute
1/2 of a large yellow onion, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, whole
salt and pepper, to taste (I like a lot of salt in this one)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or other plant based milk)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp cornstarch (if you are gluten intolerant, make sure it is pure, non-GMO to insure no gluten traces)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you want the heat noticeable)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Optional:
2-3 tbsp of any of your favorite fresh herbs. I used sage, parsley, and thyme.
vegan parmesan cheese, to serve
1 lb baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (recipe below)
1. Broil the whole peppers directly on the rack until blackened/blistered on all sides, rotating to evenly cook, about 20 minutes. They will look collapsed, and become soft. Wrap the hot peppers in tin foil, or but in a container with a lid to steam themselves (I just used a pot with a lid).
2. Start cooking the pasta.
3. Roughly chop the onion. Heat a pan and add oil if you are using it. Put the onions and garlic in and saute until golden with some brown spots. If you are water sauteing, just pour in a few tablespoons of water once in awhile when the onions start to stick, and stir to loosen from the pan. It is essentially a mini deglazing process. Remove from heat.
4. By now the pasta should be done, so drain it. Don't rinse it, and don't add oil to it, it keeps the sauce from sticking!
5. Take the peppers out of their steaming vessel and pull or cut the stem and seeds out. Peel the charred skin off. Put the prepared peppers in a blender along with the onions and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the pasta, of course!) and blend until smooth.
6. Pour sauce onto pasta and stir, add any of the optional add-ons, and enjoy!
Sauteed mushrooms
Clean and slice the baby portabella mushrooms. Heat a pan to medium high and add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the mushrooms, leaving space between them so they saute and don't steam themselves. Flip after a minute or two, once they have browned on the bottom side. Cook another minute and remove from pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use to top pasta or stir them right into it.
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