This vegan pasta peperonata is something a little bit different, with sweet stewed peppers meeting the bold flavours of balsamic vinegar, olives, and capers.
While I'm a big fan of tomato-based pasta sauces, it's nice to mix it up every now and then. To make this peperonata sauce a little creamier, try adding plant-based cream or crème fraiche towards the end of cooking.
You don't want to rush this recipe – take some time to really cook down the peppers and onions, before combining with a robust pasta such as rigatoni or penne.
For more vegan pasta ideas, try this tempeh bolognese and vegan pasta puttanesca.
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What is peperonata?
Peperonata is a traditional Italian stew of peppers, onions, and tomatoes. It's a versatile dish that works as a sauce, relish, or topping for other meals, as well as an addition to antipasti.
This recipe is slightly different in that it doesn't use any tomatoes or tomato passata, but feel free to add these in if you like.
Is balsamic vinegar vegan?
If your balsamic vinegar is labelled as vegan – and I've noticed that several supermarkets here in the UK have started doing this – then you're good to go.
The problem is that not all balsamic is created equal. Certain varieties of non-traditional balsamic vinegar may include ingredients such as caramel, which may include dairy ingredients.
If you don't have balsamic vinegar, you can swap this out for red wine vinegar (just be aware that this is not always strictly vegan either). I also use this ingredient in my recipe for spaghetti arrabbiata.
How to make vegan pasta peperonata
Heat the oil in a large pan on low/medium heat. Add the sliced peppers and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly. You want the peppers to soften slowly and gently, so it helps to use a lid on the pan.
Once the peppers have softened, add the sliced onion and cook for a further 10 minutes.
At this point, add your pasta to a large pan of salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
Once the onions and peppers have softened, add the garlic, olives, and capers. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well.
Next, stir in the balsamic vinegar and allow it to cook off for a minute or so.
At this point, start adding spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water to the sauce. The salty, starchy water helps to season and thicken it, and stops it from drying out.
You can keep adding spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water and letting it cook away until you're ready to plate up. You want the sauce to be quite thick, but not too dry.
When the pasta is nearly done, add the chopped parsley to the stewed peppers and adjust the seasoning. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and add to the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat, mix well, and serve.
Serving suggestions
This pasta is great when topped off with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and a spoonful of four-ingredient vegan parmesan.
If you want the sauce to be a little creamier, stir through a few tablespoons of homemade cashew cream or plant-based crème fraiche towards the end of cooking.
Recipe FAQ
I've suggested rigatoni or penne, but you could use any variety of pasta you like or have lying around.
To make this recipe gluten-free, simply use a GF pasta. If following my suggestion to stir through plant-based cream or crème fraiche, you'll also want to make sure that the product you use is gluten-free.
Variations and tips
- Tomatoes: This peperonata recipe doesn't use any tomatoes or tomato passata, but feel free to add these in if you like.
- Balsamic: As mentioned above, some non-traditional varieties of balsamic vinegar may not be vegan. If you don't have balsamic vinegar, you can swap this out for red wine vinegar.
- Olives & capers: I used kalamata olives here, but any will do. If you don't like olives and capers, feel free to leave these out and adjust the salt as necessary.
How to store vegan pasta peperonata
While this sauce is delicious with freshly cooked pasta, it may go a bit clumpy if stored in the fridge mixed together. If you’re making a big batch of the sauce and want to keep some, refrigerate it on its own and cook the pasta ‘to order’ each time.
Refrigerate: Store the peperonata sauce in the fridge for up to four days, ready to reheat and stir through freshly cooked pasta. You may need to loosen it up with some water.
Freeze: Store the peperonata sauce in the freezer in sealed containers or resealable bags for up to six months. Defrost thoroughly before heating through in the microwave or in a pan with a splash of water.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
Vegan Pasta Peperonata (Stewed Bell Pepper Pasta)
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400 g) dried rigatoni or penne (gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4-6 mixed bell peppers, deseeded and sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup (80 g) pitted olives, halved
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (see notes)
- Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan on low/medium heat. Add the sliced peppers and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly. You want the peppers to soften slowly and gently, so it helps to use a lid on the pan at this stage.
- Once the peppers have started to soften, add the sliced onion and cook for a further 10 minutes.
- At this point, add your pasta to a large pan of salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
- Once the onions and peppers have softened, add the garlic, olives, and capers. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring well.
- Next, stir in the balsamic vinegar and allow it to cook off for a minute or so. At this point, start adding spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water to the sauce. The salty, starchy water helps to season and thicken it, and stops it from drying out. You can keep adding spoonfuls of the pasta cooking water and letting it cook away until you're ready to plate up. You want the sauce to be quite thick, but not too dry.
- When the pasta is nearly done, add the chopped parsley to the stewed peppers and add salt and pepper to taste. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat, mix well, and serve.
Notes
- Tempeh Bolognese
- Easy Cheesy Pasta Sauce
- Vegan Pasta Puttanesca
- Easy Tomato and Basil Pasta
- 15-Minute Tomato Tahini Pasta
- Easy Vegan Pesto Sauce
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom and Leek Tagliatelle
- Ultimate Vegan Lasagne
Nutrition
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Vicky
Love new ideas for vegan pasta dishes. This was a bit different and very tasty - thanks Pesky x
The Pesky Vegan
Glad it went down well, thanks for the review!
Carla
I enjoyed this...thank you! I wasn't sure I would as there was no tomato based pasta sauce, but the balsamic vinegar, the Kalamata olives and the capers really made the recipe flavor pop. The parmesan cheese really added a nice touch to this ~ we used store bought vegan as one of us can't tolerate nutritional yeast.
I look forward to exploring your website further!!
The Pesky Vegan
Hi Carla! I know what you mean about the lack of a tomato base - it's easy to forget that you can enjoy pasta without tomatoes. I definitely see this as a dish to have every now and then, and a great way to combine flavours in a way you might not usually do. Happy exploring!
Cathy
Wonderful flavors! So good!
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers Cathy!
Aly
This looks amazing! Everything I have tried from your site has turned out wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to put together these great dishes and all the fun facts!
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks so much for the kind words, it's great to know that people are enjoying what I put out and there's a lot more where that came from!