Okay, so this recipe is pretty expensive. I’ll admit that up front. BUT I had almost an entire jar of roasted red peppers leftover from my hummus making extravaganza last week, and due to poor planning, I didn’t have another use for the leftover peppers. Yes, I could have frozen them for later use, but I decided to just go ahead and use them up on the spot and not risk losing them to the depths of my freezer. And I think it’s important to show ways you can repurpose leftover ingredients to make sure they don’t go to waste. So, I made this ultra simple, yet totally decadent Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, which can be used several different ways.
How to Use Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
The most obvious use for this sauce is as a tomato-free alternative to marinara. It’s nice to change things up once in a while and there are a lot of people who can’t eat tomatoes, so this is a great way to go. On that note, you could probably also use it on a pizza as an alternative to traditional pizza sauce (it would be amazing on a mediterranean style pizza).
But I think my favorite way to consume this sauce is just as a dip for some really good bread. Either just break off a chunk of your favorite bread and start sopping up the delicious sauce, or slice it, brush it with olive oil, and toast it up in your oven for a little crunch. Either way, this sauce makes a great appetizer or addition to a party tray (try sprinkling a little crumbled feta on there, too!).
So, if you ever find yourself with a jar of roasted red peppers…
I can’t lie. I could just eat a baguette dipped in this sauce as a meal. 😅 Maybe with a little goat cheese, too!
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 16oz. jar roasted red peppers ($4.49)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.27)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream ($0.87)
Instructions
- Add the roasted red peppers to a blender along with about 2 Tbsp of the liquid from the jar. Purée the peppers until smooth, adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed to help it blend (avoid adding too much liquid from the jar as it can be very acidic).
- Mince the garlic and add it to a skillet with the butter. Sauté the garlic in the butter over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic has softened and becomes very fragrant (but not browned). Pour in the puréed peppers, and add the dried basil and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine.
- Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, or until the mixture is thick (see photos below).
- Add the heavy cream to the skillet, stir until the sauce is smooth, and allow to heat through. Taste the sauce ad add salt if needed (I found the liquid from the jar added enough salt for me). Serve warm.
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Nutrition
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sauce – Step by Step Photos
These are the roasted red peppers that I had on hand. They were organic, so you may be able to cut back on the price of the sauce if you can find a better deal (this 16oz. jar was $4.49). You can also use red bell peppers that you’ve roasted at home, but you may need to add salt to the sauce at the end.
Add the roasted red peppers to a blender, along with a couple tablespoons of the liquid from the jar. Purée the peppers until smooth. If you need more liquid to make them blend properly, add water rather than more liquid from the jar because the canning liquid can be quite acidic. You’ll end up with about 1.5 cups of red pepper purée.
Mince four cloves of garlic and sauté them in 2 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat for about 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is soft and fragrant, but not browned.
Pour in the Roasted Red Pepper purée.
Add 1/2 tsp dried basil and some freshly cracked pepper. Stir to combine and let the sauce come up to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes, or until it is thick (see next photo).
When the sauce is thick enough to leave a blank trail in the skillet when you stir it, it’s time to add the cream.
Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed (I did not add any as the liquid from the jar gave my sauce enough salt). It’s ready to eat! You should have about 1.5 cups of sauce, which is enough for about 8oz. of pasta.
This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper sauce is totally luscious.
I ended up using it on my leftover rigatoni from the other day, with some sautéed spinach and Italian sausage. PERFECT. (But I would have been just as happy with a loaf of good bread. ;) )
I haven’t made this one yet, I’ve made something similar in the past, only with a bit of rosemary. It was wonderful as a dip for eggplant fries, or just sauteed eggplant. I don’t know why it can’t be frozen, if I have any left over, will try freezing (I live alone so even if it thaws out looking icky, it will still be tasty.)
This recipe looks wonderful! I’ve been looking for something to do with this roasted red pepper jar in my pantry. Do you think you could substitute milk or at least part of the cream with milk? I’m trying to cut down on high fat a bit. Thank you!
Unfortunately, I don’t think milk is a good substitute here. It will probably make the sauce too watery, milk is more likely to curdle, and it won’t quite have the creaminess needed to balance the flavors.
Can I make this a day ahead and heat up when needed .Will it go with Arancini balls
Thanks
Yes, this one should reheat well. I’m sure it would taste great with aracini.
Terrific recipe. I doubled the recipe so I could freeze half. Used over yellow squash (made into spaghetti strips). Tonight I’m using it on cauliflower pizza crust. Mine got a little “soupy” so I poured the sauce into a fine sieve to get some of the liquid out before I used it as pizza sauce. Of course I saved the drippings because I’ll do something with it.
I used to get a dish at TGIF that I loved so I use this sauce and I add chopped roasted chicken breast and chicken Italian sausage with penne pasta. Just add some shaved Parmesan cheese on top and it is delicious!!!!
I’m allergic to tomatoes and have a dairy sensitivity so this was amazing substituting coconut cream and using it as a pizza sauce on my cauliflower crust!
This was delicious! I roasted the peppers myself and added a bit of shredded parmesan when it was done simmering. Served over pappardelle pasta and it was the perfect, easy dinner.
Delicious. Added a few veggies (mushrooms, onions, chopped spinach, etc.) and it was so good over grilled polenta.
The recipe gives the nutritional value per serving, but doesn’t say how many servings
Hi Ann! This recipe produces about 6 servings.
I just roasted 6 sweet red peppers and in looking for a recipe found this. Do you think 6 peppers is equal to a 16 oz jar of roasted red peppers?
Should be plenty. Enjoy!
Great flavor for such little effort. The second time I made the sauce I added some canned tomatoes & some good old balsamic vinegar, which added depth with little extra effort.
Wondering how much of these you added in?
I made this today and it came out great. I used Silk Whipping Cream alternative at the end cause I’m lactose intolerant. Thanks for a really easy. sauce !!
I have frozen this sauce and it keeps well in the freezer. Great recipe
I was literally just about to post a comment and ask about freezing it. Did you freeze before or after you added the cream? How did you reheat it?
I’ve made this before and I’m so excited to have some again today. :-)
Beth, this recipe is sublime.
Very good recipe ! I made this sauce along with your recipe of turkey, feta and spinach meatballs. Thank you for these wonderful recipes !!
Can thus sauce be frozen?
Hmm, I’m not sure about that one. I haven’t tried freezing something like this before.