If you’re looking for a quick and tasty way to get your veggies in, this roasted red pepper shrimp pasta is the one. Ditch the pre-made supermarket pasta sauces, and get ready for some serious flavor!

Whenever I make this pasta for my friends and family, they’re always surprised there’s no cream or butter here. Instead, I like to add a small amount of gochujang for some boldness and richness. It adds some umami and really rounds out the sauce! Gochujang has been making its way to the international stage over the past few years, and I’m here for it!

I used shrimp for this recipe, but you can swap it out for any protein of your choice, including chicken, beef, or pork.

The pasta is already delicious on its own, but adding the toasted panko breading on top will take it to the next level. The bread crumbs add a beautiful textural element to the pasta, which is my favorite part of the entire dish.

I hope you enjoy this pasta as much as I did. Excited to hear how this turned out! 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe

Everyone knows that nothing beats the taste of homemade pasta sauce, and this recipe proves it. The secret is roasting the tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, and garlic cloves to intensify their natural flavors to unbelievable levels. Adding spicy and umami gochugaru adds a delightful punch that sets this dish apart from your typical red sauce pasta.

The succulent shrimp and crunchy panko breading add bursts of flavors and textures that bring the dish together. The best part is, this dish is made with simple ingredients that you can easily find in your pantry, so you can whip this for lunch or dinner any day in the week!

How do I prepare Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta?

Rich, spicy, and savory, you’ll never regret learning how to make this delicious pasta dish. To start, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

Step 2: Prepare the vegetables

Arrange the red bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper on a lined sheet tray. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables.

Step 3: Roast the vegetables

Roast the vegetables in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until they’re tender. Then, carefully transfer the cooked vegetables into a high-speed blender, adding gochujang and sugar. Blend the mixture until it’s smooth.

Step 4: Cook the shrimp

In a preheated pan over medium heat, pour in the blended sauce. Once the sauce starts bubbling, add shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 5: Add the pasta

Once the shrimp is almost cooked through, add in the cooked pasta of your choice. Stir to mix everything well.

Step 6: Prepare the panko breading

In a preheated pan over medium heat, pour 1 tbsp of olive oil. Stir in the panko bread crumbs and red chili flakes and mix until fully combined with the olive oil.

Step 7: Cook the bread crumbs

Cook until the bread crumbs turn golden brown or to your desired doneness. Be sure to continue stirring, so they don’t burn!

Step 8: Season the panko breading

Don’t forget to season the cooked bread crumbs with salt and set aside for garnish.

Step 9: Garnish and serve

Top the shrimp pasta with toasted panko breading and basil for garnish. Serve and enjoy!

Cooking Tips for Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta

To help keep the cooking process fuss-free, here are a few tips and tricks you can keep in mind:

You can check the doneness of the pasta by tasting it. Its consistency should have a bit of a ‘bite’ or resistance when you chew it. If it feels mushy, you might have overcooked it.

Take care not to overcook the shrimp to prevent them from turning rubbery. You can check their doneness by pressing them with a fork. If they feel soft and the fork easily presses through, you can remove the pasta from the heat.

Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeno pepper, gochujang, and red pepper flakes to add according to your preferred spice level.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Shrimp: shrimp are the highlight of this recipe, but feel free to substitute it with any protein, such as chicken, beef, or pork.

Pasta: I’m using rigatoni pasta for this recipe, but feel free to use any pasta you have, including penne, spaghetti, or fusilli.

Basil: basil adds a sweet and distinct peppery flavor and aroma to the pasta, making it an excellent garnish. Fresh basil is best, but you can also use dried basil as a substitute.

Red bell peppers: red bell peppers add a subtle sweet flavor that complements the tomatoes. In a pinch, you can substitute them with orange or yellow bell peppers, they just won’t be as sweet.

Cherry or grape tomatoes: cherry or grape tomatoes are the base of the sauce. If you can’t find either in the store, you can substitute them with plum, Roma, or regular diced tomatoes.

Onion: onion adds a distinct savory taste and aroma to build the flavors of the sauce. In a pinch, you can use onion powder, but the flavor won’t be as potent.

Garlic cloves: garlic cloves also enhance the flavor and aroma of the sauce. You can substitute it with garlic powder, but the flavor won’t be as intense.

Jalapeno pepper: jalapeno pepper provides a spicy and smoky flavor to the sauce, but you can also use your choice of chili pepper, such as serrano or poblano peppers.

Olive oil: olive oil helps the vegetables roast and toast the panko breading. You can substitute it with any neutral-tasting oil, such as vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil.

Salt: salt adds flavor to the pasta sauce. Feel free to adjust according to taste.

Black pepper: black pepper also enhances the overall flavor of the dish. You can also use white pepper as a substitute.

Gochujang: gochujang adds a spicy and savory twist to the pasta sauce. You can easily buy it from your local Korean or Asian store, but in a pinch, you can substitute it with gochujang or sriracha.

Sugar: sugar balances out the salty and savory flavors of the pasta sauce. Feel free to use white or brown sugar for this recipe.

Panko bread crumbs: panko bread crumbs add a nice crunchy texture to the pasta. You can also use regular bread crumbs as a substitute.

Red chili flakes: red chili flakes level up the dish’s spiciness. You can also use chili powder, paprika, or cayenne pepper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should you devein the shrimp?

I highly recommend you devein the shrimp for this dish to remove its gritty texture when you bite into them. After removing the head and shell of the shrimp, use a small knife to slice a shallow cut down on its back. Then, use the tip of the knife to remove the intestinal vein (black vein). Repeat for the rest of the shrimp. Once you’re done, wash the shrimp to clean them and remove any leftover gunk.

Why do you roast the vegetables?

Oven-roasting tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper, onion, and garlic cloves help bring out their flavors to create a more intense and concentrated pasta sauce. It traditionally takes several hours to a whole day to roast the vegetables for pasta sauce, but using high heat is a quick way of cutting down the time. You’ll know the vegetables are done when they’re soft and fragrant.

Can you store Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta?

Yes, you can store leftover roasted red pepper shrimp pasta in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container so it stays fresh for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or stovetop until it’s warm. If the sauce appears dry, add a splash of water to revive it.

Looking for more easy & delicious pasta recipes?

1. Perilla Pasta – elevate your pasta nights with this bold and punchy dish. It’s a unique twist on the traditional pesto since I use my rich and savory homemade perilla sauce instead of basil. The result is a delicious fusion of flavors, you’ll want to add this to your weekly meal rotation.

2. Uni Pasta – if you’re looking for a delicious pasta dish for date night, this recipe is the perfect pick. The secret is incorporating rich and savory uni to turn it into the ultimate panty-dropping meal. 😉

3. Kimchi Alfredo Pasta – who knew adding kimchi to traditional alfredo sauce could make it a decadent and indulgent meal? Mushrooms and zucchini also add fresh flavors and textures to make the dish more irresistible.

4. Vegan Sausage Pasta – if you’re looking for a tasty vegan pasta meal, you have to try this recipe. The combination of vegan sausage, homemade tomato sauce, and cashew cream creates a wonderful burst of flavor in every bite.

5. Mentaiko Pasta (Spicy Pollock Roe) – spicy, savory, and umami, this delectable pasta dish has it all. It only takes 6 ingredients to whip it up, so I won’t blame you if it’s constantly on repeat.