Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta
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Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta blends jarred roasted peppers with broth and half-and-half, then tosses the sauce with penne or rigatoni, tender shrimp, garlic, Parmesan, spinach, basil, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will love Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta because it gives you a full pasta meal without making the cooking feel stressful. The blended roasted peppers give the sauce a smooth, naturally sweet base with very little effort. The flavor is specific, not generic, so every ingredient has a reason to be there. The shrimp are tender, the spinach wilts into the sauce, and parmesan gives the pepper sauce a savory finish. It is also practical for real life: the sauce can be blended before the shrimp cooks, which makes the skillet work calmer. The method gives you clear cues for heat, timing, texture, and doneness, so you are not guessing at the stove. That makes it friendly for a brand-new cook, but still satisfying for someone who already knows their way around a skillet.
What Makes This Recipe Work
Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta works because the recipe has a clear balance: a hearty base, a flavorful sauce or dressing, and a fresh finish. Shrimp, pasta, and roasted red pepper sauce. Blended roasted peppers, broth, half-and-half, garlic, parmesan, smoked paprika, and pasta water make the sauce creamy. The final layer matters too; baby spinach and basil. None of those details are just decoration. They keep the pasta from tasting flat and help every bite feel complete. The important part is pacing. Pasta should be cooked just until tender, proteins should come off the heat as soon as they are done, and sauces should be loosened slowly so they cling instead of turning watery. When those small pieces are handled carefully, the recipe tastes polished without needing complicated techniques or restaurant equipment.
Before You Start
Before you start Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta, get the pasta water heating first, because it takes the longest. While it heats, blend the pepper sauce, mince the garlic, and season the shrimp, so the stove part goes smoothly. Save chopping the basil for the very end so it stays bright, and keep a heatproof measuring cup by the stove so you remember to save pasta water before draining.
Ingredient Notes & Easy Swaps
Penne or rigatoni: These sturdy tubes hold the creamy blended pepper sauce inside and along the ridges. Whole wheat or high-protein pasta also works; follow the specific package time and start checking about 2 minutes early, because brands cook differently.
Gluten-free pasta: Use a corn-and-rice gluten-free penne or rigatoni, which keeps its shape in a creamy sauce better than 100% brown rice pasta. Cook it at the low end of the package time and reserve the pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Dairy-free swap: There are two dairy ingredients, so replace both: use 1/2 cup unsweetened plain oat or cashew cream in place of the half-and-half and 1/3 cup dairy-free parmesan-style shreds or 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan. Dairy-free creams thicken less, so simmer an extra minute or two and add the pasta water more sparingly.
Jarred roasted red peppers: Jarred peppers save you the roasting step, and there is no advantage to roasting your own here. Drain them well and shake off the brine, which is salty and sharp, or the blended sauce will taste thin and briny.
Low-sodium chicken broth: The 1/2 cup broth is split: 1/4 cup goes into the blender to get the peppers moving and 1/4 cup goes into the skillet. Low-sodium matters because the pepper brine and Parmesan already contribute salt. Vegetable broth works as a direct swap.
Smoked paprika and red pepper flakes: Smoked paprika seasons the shrimp and deepens the roasted flavor of the peppers; sweet paprika works but loses the smoke. The 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes gives mild warmth, and you can cut it to a pinch or leave it out.
Spinach and basil: Spinach goes in over low heat for about a minute so it stays bright green, and the basil goes in off the heat right before serving so it keeps its aroma and does not blacken.
Nutrition estimate: Nutrition is an estimate, not a lab measurement. It assumes regular Barilla penne, peeled and deveined shrimp, jarred roasted red peppers drained, low-sodium chicken broth, standard half-and-half, grated Parmesan, and about 10% absorption of the pasta-water salt.
Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta
Description
Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta blends jarred roasted peppers with broth and half-and-half, then tosses the sauce with penne or rigatoni, tender shrimp, garlic, Parmesan, spinach, basil, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes.
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water
- 1 tbsp kosher salt, for pasta water
- 10 oz penne or rigatoni
- 1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1Equipment: a 6-quart pot, a colander, a heatproof measuring cup, a small strainer, a blender, a 12-inch skillet, tongs, a spatula, paper towels, 2 bowls for the shrimp (one for raw, one for cooked), a clean produce cutting board and knife, measuring cups, measuring spoons, an instant-read thermometer, and serving bowls.
- 2Pour 4 quarts water into the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Do steps 3 and 4 while it heats.
- 3Tip the 12 oz jar of roasted red peppers into the small strainer and let them drain for about a minute, shaking off the brine. Blend the peppers with 1/4 cup of the chicken broth on high for 20 to 30 seconds, until completely smooth with no pepper flecks. Set aside the other 1/4 cup broth for step 7.
- 4Rinse the basil and pat it dry; you'll chop it at the end. If the baby spinach isn't labeled pre-washed, rinse it and shake it dry. Mince the 4 garlic cloves on the produce board. Pat the 1 1/4 lb shrimp dry with paper towels, put them in the raw shrimp bowl, and toss with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.
- 5When the water is at a strong rolling boil, add 1 tbsp kosher salt and 10 oz penne or rigatoni, and stir right away so the pasta doesn't clump. Cook for the time on the package, stirring once or twice, until tender with a small firm bite. Scoop 1 cup of the cloudy pasta water into the measuring cup, then drain the pasta in the colander and don't rinse it. It's fine for it to wait there; the pasta water will loosen it at the end.
- 6Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, about 7 out of 10, until the oil moves easily around the pan. Tip the shrimp from the bowl into the pan in a single layer so your hands don't touch them. If they won't all fit without overlapping, tip in half now and cook the rest as a second batch. Cook 1 1/2 minutes, flip with the tongs, and cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes more. They're done when the thickest shrimp reads 145°F, or when it's firm and opaque all the way through with no see-through center. Move the cooked shrimp to the clean bowl with the spatula, not the tongs. When all the shrimp are cooked, put the raw shrimp bowl and the tongs in the sink and wash them in hot soapy water before using them again.
- 7Lower the heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until you can smell it. Pour in the blended pepper sauce, the 1/4 cup broth you set aside, and 1/2 cup half-and-half.
- 8Turn the heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently, with only small bubbles at the edge, for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Don't let it boil, or the half-and-half can separate.
- 9Turn the heat to low. Stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Add the 3 cups baby spinach and stir for about 1 minute, just until it wilts and is still bright green.
- 10Add the drained pasta and toss with the spatula, adding the saved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce looks silky. Stir in the cooked shrimp for about 30 seconds to warm them through, then take the pan off the heat. Chop the basil on the produce board to make 1/4 cup and stir it in. Taste, and if it needs more salt, add sea salt 1/8 teaspoon at a time. Serve right away.
Tips and Tricks
- 1
Thawing frozen shrimp: Thaw them overnight in the fridge, or seal them in a zip-top bag and set the bag in a bowl of cold water for 20 to 30 minutes. Never thaw shrimp on the counter. Frozen shrimp hold extra water, so pat them very dry before seasoning.
- 2
Medium or jumbo shrimp: The times in step 6 are for large shrimp. Medium shrimp cook faster, so start checking after about 1 minute per side; jumbo shrimp may need an extra minute. Either way, go by the 145°F reading or the opaque center, not the clock.
- 3
Making the sauce ahead: You can blend the peppers and broth up to 2 days ahead. Keep the sauce covered in the fridge and stir it before it goes into the skillet in step 7.
- 4
If the sauce gets too thick: The sauce keeps thickening as it sits. If the pasta looks dry by the time you serve seconds, stir in another tablespoon or two of the saved pasta water over low heat.
Nutrition
Serving size: 1 serving (1/4 recipe)
Calories: 550kcal, Protein: 42g, Carbs: 62g, Fat: 15g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g, Sodium: 1160mg.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredient brands, product sizes, preparation methods, and substitutions. It is not intended as medical or dietary advice.