Description
High Protein Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta recipe. Learn my tricks for a hearty, flavorful dish that’s surprisingly simple and a total weeknight win. So good!
Ingredients
Scale
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Base:
- 1 (12 oz / 340g) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat or 2% cottage cheese
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 3–4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (plus more for thinning)
- Protein & Pasta:
- 8 oz (225g) high-protein pasta (chickpea, lentil, or whole wheat)
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- Flavor Boosters & Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Finishing Touches:
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Roast & Blend the Peppers (or just open a jar, no judgment!).: If you’re roasting fresh peppers, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Halve and seed your red peppers, then toss them with a tiny drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them until they’re tender and slightly charred, about 20-25 minutes. The smell of roasting peppers always makes my kitchen feel so warm. Once they’re cool enough to handle, peel them if you like, but I often leave the skin on for extra fiber and a rustic vibe. Pop them into your blender.
- Build the Creamy Base.: To the blender with the roasted peppers, add your cottage cheese, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, and about half a cup of chicken broth. Now, blend it all up until it’s super smooth and creamy. I usually give it a good minute or two, scraping down the sides to make sure there are no lumpy bits of cottage cheese left. This is where the magic really starts for our High Protein Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta; you’ll see the color deepen and the texture transform into this beautiful, velvety sauce.
- Pasta Time!: Get a large pot of salted water boiling for your high-protein pasta. And please, remember to salt the water! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten and ended up with bland pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions until it’s al dente. Before draining, make sure to scoop out about a cup of that starchy pasta water. It’s liquid gold, honestly, for thinning out the sauce later if needed.
- Bring the Sauce to Life.: While the pasta cooks, gently warm your blended red pepper sauce in a large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. You just want it to get nice and bubbly, not scorched. Stir it occasionally. This is when the aromas really start to sing – that sweet pepper, savory garlic, and cheesy nutritional yeast. If it seems too thick, add a splash or two of that reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired creamy consistency.
- Combine & Wilt.: Once your pasta is drained (remembering to keep that pasta water!), add it straight into the skillet with the warm red pepper sauce. Toss it all together, making sure every strand of High Protein Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is coated in that gorgeous sauce. Now, stir in your fresh spinach until it just wilts down. It disappears so quickly, adding a lovely freshness and color.
- Finish & Serve.: Taste your pasta and adjust seasonings if needed – maybe a pinch more salt, a grind of black pepper, or those red pepper flakes if you’re feeling brave! Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil. Sometimes I add a little extra nutritional yeast on top, too. It’s so satisfying to see this vibrant, hearty meal come together.