Hey there,
Looking for a pasta dinner idea? Here is a Weeknight Greek Pasta Dish. Red Pepper Pasta. This pasta dish is a little smoky, creamy, and flavorful thanks to those gorgeous red Florina peppers (you know the sweet Greek ones!). I blended them into a smooth, velvety sauce with olive oil, onion, and more.
This pasta is cozy enough for chilly nights but light enough to enjoy even on warmer days. Nooo wait a second, I’m wrong, this pasta can be eaten all year round. Pair it with a glass of white wine or some crusty bread to mop up the extra sauce. Or eat it straight out of the pan, I won’t judge, because I do it every single time. Can’t control myself hehehhe
Red Florinis peppers are one of those Greek ingredients that I think deserve more attention. They are sweet, smoky, and full of flavor. I used the jarred kind this time, and it turned out fabulous. I cooked them in the air fryer, and then started to boil the pasta. When the dish was ready, I didn’t even wait to grab a plate. I stood over the stove, fork in my hand, doing my “just one more bite” step dance. 🙂 When I finally served the pasta, I sprinkled a little kefalotyri (similar to parmesan cheese) on top. If you don’t have parmesan or pecorino cheese, feta also works great, too. You can also sauté a clove or two of garlic with the onions. I didn’t because… well, you know me and garlic.
This red pepper sauce is creamy, smooth, let’s say it’s velvety, and comes together in just about 20 minutes. I left a little on the side of the pan so you can see just how thick and creamy the sauce turned out… soooo good! Honestly, again, I had to stop myself from grabbing a fork and finishing it right there. (Look at the photo)
So, my foodie friends, this Weeknight Greek Pasta Dish is a winner. Quick, creamy, and packed with flavor, and perfect for those “what on earth do I cook tonight?” moments.
The other night, I was watching Rachael Ray’s Tuscany series! She’s one of my all-time favorite cooks. She whipped up this Tuscan pasta recipe that looked so good, I have to give it a try. I’ll be testing it out soon, and if it turns out as delicious as it looks, I’ll definitely be sharing it here!
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!! 🙂
Weeknight Greek Pasta Dish
Equipment
- 1 sauteé pan large
- 1 pasta pot
- pasta tong
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 knife
- 1 food processor
- 1 air fryer
Ingredients
- 5 Red Florini Peppers
- 1 kilo/2.2 lbs Pasta spaghetti
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes can
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 1 red onion large
- 2 garlic cloves optional
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp white pepper
- salt
- 1 tbsp oregano dry
- 1 ½ tbsp red vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- Kefalotyri, parmesan or pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Place a piece of parchment paper in the air fryer and layer the peppers. Cook at 200℃ for 10 minutes, until peppers are charred. Once done, let them cool off.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted Florinis peppers, one quarter of the olive oil, red onion, vinegar and seasoning into the food processor. Blend until smooth.
- While the sauce is blending, boil the pasta. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- On low to medium heat, pour the rest of the olive oil into the pan. Add in the Florinis pepper mixture, followed by the crushed tomatoes and the tomato juice. Give everything a good stir and let it simmer gently so all those delicious flavors come together until it turns into a thick sauce.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce along with the reserved water. Start to stir gently to combine.
- Serve with grated cheese, or dill like I did.
KALI SAS OREXI!! 🙂
