Description
This Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Fettuccine Alfredo is a vibrant twist on the classic creamy pasta dish, featuring smoky roasted red peppers and mellow roasted garlic blended into a rich Alfredo sauce. Perfect for a comforting vegetarian dinner that impresses with both flavor and color.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Roasted Vegetables
- 6 large red bell peppers, cut into quarters with seeds and membranes removed
- 2 heads of garlic, roasted and mashed (about 2 tablespoons)
Pasta
- 16 ounces fettuccine
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup nonfat milk
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Broil Peppers: Preheat your oven to broil. Arrange the red bell pepper quarters skin side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for 15 minutes until the skins are blackened all over.
- Steam Peppers: Transfer the peppers to a sealed zip-top bag and let them steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins, then peel off and discard the skins. Roughly chop the peppers and set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Boil fettuccine in heavily salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a 5-quart pot over medium heat and cook diced onions until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Puree Vegetables: In a blender or food processor, combine roasted peppers, roasted garlic, and sautéed onions. Blend until smooth.
- Make Sauce: Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat. Pour in the pepper puree, then add broth, heavy cream, and nonfat milk. Stir to combine, season with salt and pepper, and heat gently.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the pot from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
- Toss Pasta: Add half the cooked pasta to the sauce and gently toss to coat, then add the remaining pasta and toss thoroughly.
- Serve: Garnish with additional grated Parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- Roasting the garlic mellows its flavor, but if you prefer, you can add raw minced garlic with the onions.
- For a lighter version, you may substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and milk.
- Use vegetable broth to keep the dish vegetarian.
- Be careful not to overcook the pasta; it should be al dente to maintain texture when tossed in the sauce.
- The peeling of roasted peppers is easier after steaming in the bag—don’t skip this step for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: fifty g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
