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Vegan Pasta Peperonata in Pan

Vegan Pasta Peperonata (Stewed Bell Pepper Pasta)

The Pesky Vegan
This vegan pasta peperonata combines sweet stewed peppers with the bold flavours of balsamic vinegar, olives, and capers.
5 from 3 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine Gluten-free, Italian, Vegan
Servings 4
Calories 491 kcal

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

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.
Creamier sauce: 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.
Gluten-free: To make this recipe gluten-free, simply use a GF pasta. If following my suggestion to include plant-based cream or crème fraiche, you'll also want to make sure that the product you use is gluten-free.
Tomatoes: This peperonata 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. 
Pasta: I've suggested rigatoni or penne, but you could use any variety of pasta you like or have lying around. 
Balsamic: As mentioned in the post 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 (just be aware that this is not always strictly vegan either).
Olives & capers: I used kalamata olives here, but any will do. If you don't like the taste of olives and capers, feel free to leave these out and adjust the salt as necessary. 
Storage: You can store this peperonata sauce in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to six months. 
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* The nutrition info below is for one serving of the pasta peperonata, based on a total of four servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 491kcalCarbohydrates: 88gProtein: 15gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 419mgPotassium: 556mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 4115IUVitamin C: 160mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Pasta Peperonata (Stewed Bell Pepper Pasta)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 491 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 419mg18%
Potassium 556mg16%
Carbohydrates 88g29%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 4115IU82%
Vitamin C 160mg194%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword interesting pasta recipe, vegan pasta recipe, vegan pepper recipe
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