Description

Nothing hits quite like a bowl of pipin' hot, creamy pasta. Bonus points if veggies are involved and it's done in 25 minutes! This recipe stars roasted red peppers, cashew (!) cream, sautéed shallots, and a kiss of parmesan for THE most luscious sauce you'll want to devour by the spoonful. My fam devours this with pan-seared shrimp and lots of fresh parsley!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1/2 cup raw cashews
12oz pasta (I use curly mac)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (omit for no heat, it adds a little kick!)
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (I use 1 cup water + 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon)
3/4 cup roasted red peppers, drained
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sumac (optional, adds lovely lemony flavor)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
handful fresh chopped flat leaf parsley (I love to serve with 1 lb sautéed shrimp to make it more filling!*)

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Instructions

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Set aside to soak (this can be done hours ahead or overnight, just refrigerate if longer than two hours).
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Once hot, add shallots and a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds, until golden and fragrant. Remove pan from heat. (If adding shrimp per the note below, get sautéing or air frying now.)
Drain cashews. Place in a blender or Nutribullet with broth, roasted red peppers, salt, sumac, and cooked shallots and garlic. Blend until very smooth and creamy.
Warm skillet over low heat. Pour drained pasta into skillet. Add sauce and stir to coat. Add parmesan and stir until pasta is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt if needed to make the flavors pop (I like to add a squeeze of lemon if I have it).
Top with cooked shrimp if using and enjoy hot with lots of fresh parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan!

Notes

*I love this with wild shrimp! Place peeled and deveined shrimp (I used thawed from frozen) in a large bowl. Pat dry with paper towels. Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, a sprinkle of paprika, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine. Cook in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat for 2-3 min per side. OR place evenly in air fryer basket and cook 400F for about 5 minutes (or less, depending on air-fryer. Keep an eye, because it can go from perfectly tender to rubbery very fast!).

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. I add a splash of water and lemon juice to loosen up the sauce and bring it back to life when eating leftovers.