One-Pot Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Name: One-Pot Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) roasted red peppers (fresh or jarred, patted dry), patted very dry with paper towels; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream; ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine; ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable or chicken broth; ½ cup (50 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil, torn by hand; to taste kosher salt; to taste black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, luxurious cream sauce built on roasted red peppers, garlic, and fresh basil. Made entirely in one pot, this Italian-style sauce comes together in 20 minutes and coats pasta beautifully. The sweetness of roasted peppers balances the richness of cream for a naturally balanced flavor that needs no tomato.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: About 2 cups sauce (enough for 1 pound pasta)

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Steps

Before you start

Roast the red peppers in advance if needed (roasted peppers in a jar work perfectly)
Have cream at room temperature—cold cream can shock the sauce
Measure out fresh basil before cooking so it's ready to add at the end

1
Sauté garlic in fat
- Heat butter and olive oil together in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat until the butter foams, about 1 minute.
- Add sliced garlic and cook, stirring often, until it turns golden and fragrant, 2–3 minutes.
- Do not let it brown or it will taste bitter.
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Ready when: Garlic is golden and very fragrant
Tip: Watch the garlic carefully—it goes from golden to burnt quickly at this heat level.
2
Add peppers and wine
- Pour in the white wine and add the roasted red peppers (which you've patted very dry).
- Stir well to combine and let the wine reduce by half, about 3–4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- This concentrates the flavor and burns off the raw alcohol taste.
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Ready when: Wine has reduced and smells aromatic, liquid is nearly evaporated
Tip: Pat the peppers completely dry so excess moisture doesn't dilute your sauce.
3
Blend to silky smooth
- Pour in the broth and remove the pan from heat.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the pepper mixture until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes.
- If using a regular blender, let the mixture cool slightly, then blend in batches and return to the pan.
- For an extra-silky sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
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Ready when: Sauce is completely smooth with no visible pepper pieces
Tip: Never blend hot liquid in a sealed blender—it can explode. Leave the hole in the lid open or let it cool first.
4
Temper and add cream
- Return the pan to medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring constantly, letting it incorporate fully so the sauce doesn't break.
- Once combined, simmer for 2 minutes to marry the flavors.
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Ready when: Cream is fully combined and sauce is smooth and glossy; no curdling
Tip: Add cream slowly and stir constantly to prevent it from curdling or separating from the acid and wine.
5
Finish with cheese and basil
- Remove from heat and stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano until melted and fully incorporated.
- Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Fold in the torn fresh basil last so it stays bright green and doesn't lose its flavor to heat.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a gentle heat.
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Ready when: Cheese is fully melted and sauce looks creamy and cohesive
Tip: Add basil after removing from heat to preserve its fresh aroma and color.

Good to know

Tips

This sauce clings to short pastas like penne or fusilli beautifully, but also works with fettuccine or linguine. Toss pasta directly in the hot sauce in the pan for best coating.
Use jarred roasted red peppers in water if you can't roast fresh ones—they're a reliable shortcut and fully acceptable. Just pat them very dry.
For a lighter version, substitute half the cream with whole milk or heavy cream thinned with pasta water, then reduce the cooking time slightly.
Add sautéed mushrooms, spinach, or sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce in step 2 for variation, or stir in cooked pancetta or prosciutto for richness.

Make ahead

You can make this sauce up to 2 days ahead, stopping after step 4 (before adding basil). Let it cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, and add fresh basil just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, stirring, adding a splash of cream if it's too thick. Freezer: up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container (add the basil after thawing and reheating).

Substitutions

heavy cream → crème fraîche or sour cream. Use the same amount. The sauce will be slightly less rich but still creamy; add it more carefully to avoid curdling.
dry white wine → dry vermouth or additional broth. Use the same amount. Vermouth adds herbal notes; broth makes a milder sauce with less acidity.
fresh basil → fresh parsley or a blend of parsley and oregano. Use the same amount. The sauce will have a different herbaceous flavor but will still be delicious.
roasted red peppers (fresh or jarred, patted dry) → roasted yellow or orange peppers, or a mix. Use the same amount. Red peppers are slightly sweeter, but other roasted peppers work beautifully and give a different color.