Creamy Red Lentil Pasta with Roasted Bell Pepper and Basil Sauce
INGREDIENTS
2 red bell peppers, halved, de-stemmed, and de-seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 yellow onion, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons tahini
olive oil
kosher salt
fine grain sea salt
pepper
1/8 - 1/4 chili flakes
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup basil, divided
lemon
METHOD
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place bell peppers, onion, and garlic on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive and season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together and arrange in a single layer. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until vegetables have some color and are soft.
While veggies cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Remove veggies from the oven and transfer bell peppers, onions, and garlic into a blender or food processor. Add in 2 tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chili flakes, paprika, and 1/4 cup of basil. Blend until smooth.
Cook pasta according to pasta instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. Drain and then transfer into a large pot.
Pour sauce over the pasta. I added a squeeze of lemon for some tang, more salt and pepper, chopped basil, and some pasta water to thin out the sauce a bit. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Enjoy!
