This roasted red pepper shrimp pasta is huge on flavor and easy to make, with a creamy goat cheese sauce that comes together fast. Ready in under 30 minutes, no heavy cream needed.
Shrimp Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Goat Cheese Sauce
I make this one all the time when I want a satisfying pasta dinner without a lot of fuss. The sauce is roasted red peppers and goat cheese blended together. That's basically it. No cream, no long simmer, no flour, no fancy reductions. The goat cheese brings the creaminess and adds a tangy edge that pulls the whole dish together.
I love seared shrimp with it, but this sauce also works on chicken, sausage, or just over noodles on its own.
If you've made my Roasted Red Pepper Pasta before, this is a lighter, faster version. Different sauce method, different vibe, and a great option when you want something on the table in 30 minutes.
As I've been working to build up our "Quick and Easy Recipes" section for spicy food lovers, and this one fits right in.
What You'll Love About this Recipe
- No heavy cream. Goat cheese does all the creamy work and brings a tangy bite cream sauce can't match.
- Under 30 minutes. The peppers roast while you boil the pasta and sear the shrimp. Three things, all running at once.
- Easy to customize. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a chopped Fresno for heat, swap chicken for the shrimp, or skip the protein entirely.
Let's talk about how to make this roasted red pepper shrimp pasta, shall we?
Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is in the printable recipe card below.
- Red Bell Peppers. I roast my own, but a 16 oz jar of roasted red peppers works great if you want to skip that step. See my post on How to Roast Red Peppers.
- Garlic Cloves. I roast them right along with the peppers. Mellows them out and saves a step.
- Goat Cheese. The whole reason this sauce works. Use a soft, fresh chevre log. Don't sub aged goat cheese.
- Shrimp. Peeled and deveined. Large or jumbo holds up best against the noodles.
- Pasta. I usually go with spaghetti or linguine. Penne and rigatoni both hold the sauce well too.
- Olive Oil. For the peppers, garlic, and shrimp.
- Red Pepper Flakes. Optional, for heat. A chopped fresh Fresno or red jalapeño works too.
- Salt and Black Pepper.
- Lemon. A squeeze at the end brightens everything up. Don't skip it.
- Fresh Parsley or Basil. For garnish.
- Shredded Parmesan. For serving.
How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta
Get the oven going first. Preheat to 450°F (230°C).
Slice the red bell peppers in half lengthwise, pull out the stems and seeds, and set them on a baking sheet skin side up. Toss the unpeeled garlic cloves on the same sheet, drizzle everything with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the pepper skins are charred and blistered.
Pull the sheet out, transfer the peppers to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a plate. Let them steam for about 10 minutes. This loosens the skins so they peel off easily. The garlic can sit on the sheet to cool.
While the peppers are roasting and steaming, get the pasta water boiling and salt it well. Cook the pasta to al dente per the package instructions. Before you drain, scoop out a cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
For the shrimp, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle the shrimp with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if you want heat. Sear for about 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Pull them off the heat and set aside.
Peel the roasted peppers and squeeze the garlic out of its skins. Drop both in a food processor with the goat cheese. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a few splashes of the reserved pasta water until it pours easily.
Toss the hot pasta with the sauce. Top with the seared shrimp, a shower of Parmesan, fresh parsley or basil, and a good squeeze of lemon.
Boom. Done. Roasted red pepper shrimp pasta with a creamy goat cheese sauce, under 30 minutes start to finish.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The goat cheese is the sauce. Don't try to make this with cream cheese (too dense) or ricotta (too grainy). Mascarpone works if you must, but you lose the tangy edge that makes this dish what it is.
- Save your pasta water. Starchy pasta water is the best tool you have for adjusting the sauce. A splash at a time, you can always add more.
- Roast extra peppers. If the oven's on anyway, throw in a couple more peppers and store them in olive oil for the week. They go on everything.
- Heat options. For controlled heat, red pepper flakes in the shrimp seasoning. For fresh heat, blend a Fresno or red jalapeño into the sauce with the peppers. For a punch, stir in a spoonful of Calabrian chiles in oil at the end.
- Spicier sauce shortcut. Swap one bell pepper for a red jalapeño or Fresno and roast it the same way. Same method, more kick.
- Jarred peppers shortcut. A 16 oz jar of roasted red peppers gets you to dinner in 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry first or the sauce comes out watery.
Serving Ideas
This pasta is filling on its own, but a few easy sides round it out:
- A green salad with a lemon vinaigrette
- Crusty bread for sopping up the sauce
- A simple roasted vegetable side like smothered green beans or hot honey roasted carrots
For more roasted red pepper recipes, try my Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (the versatile cooked sauce you can use on anything) or my Roasted Red Pepper Pasta (similar dish without shrimp, made with the cooked-sauce method and heavy cream).
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover roasted red pepper shrimp pasta keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The shrimp texture suffers if you push it longer.
Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce. The microwave works in a pinch, but go easy or the shrimp turns rubbery.
I don't recommend freezing this one. The goat cheese sauce gets grainy when thawed, and the shrimp turns mealy.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this roasted red pepper shrimp pasta as much as we do. Let me know how it turns out in the comments below, and tag me on social so I can see your version!
Try Some of My Other Spicy Pasta Recipes
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta - The cream-and-Parmesan version, no shrimp.
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta - Cajun seasoning, andouille optional.
- Creamy Rasta Pasta with Jerk Chicken - Pasta with a Caribbean spin.
- Spaghetti all'Assassina (Killer Spaghetti) - Super saucy with a nice kick.
- Creamy Tortellini Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Penne Arrabbiata
- Bucatini all Amatriciana
- See all of my Spicy Pasta Recipes
Love Roasted Red Peppers? Try Some of These Recipes, Too!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers (or one 16 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 6 ounces fresh goat cheese (chevre)
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste (optional, for heat)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or basil for serving
- Reserved pasta water, as needed
Instructions
Roast the peppers and garlic (skip if using jarred peppers)
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Slice the bell peppers in half, remove stems and seeds, and place skin side up on a baking sheet. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves, drizzle everything with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast for 20 minutes, or until the pepper skins are charred and blistered.
- Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the skins.
For the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente per the package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sear for about 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Set aside.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skins. Add the peeled peppers, garlic, and goat cheese to a food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with reserved pasta water, a splash at a time, until pourable.
- Toss the hot pasta with the sauce. Top with the seared shrimp, Parmesan, fresh herbs, and a generous squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a spicier sauce, swap one bell pepper for a red jalapeño or Fresno and roast it the same way.
- Goat cheese is essential to this recipe. Cream cheese and ricotta are not equivalent substitutes.
- A 16 oz jar of drained roasted red peppers replaces both fresh bell peppers and saves about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but it changes the dish. Cream cheese is heavier and milder, so you lose the tang that makes this sauce distinctive. If you go that direction, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and a splash of white wine vinegar to compensate. Mascarpone is a closer swap if you want something milder than goat cheese.
The goat cheese is key to this recipe, so a straight swap is tough. The closest dairy-free version blends a half cup of soaked cashews with a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and a splash of lemon juice, then add to the roasted peppers and garlic in the processor. Texture is good, flavor is different.
Yes. The sauce keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Warm it gently in a saucepan before tossing with pasta. If it tightens up, thin with a splash of pasta water or milk.
Absolutely. A 16 oz jar replaces 2 fresh bell peppers. Drain them well and pat dry before blending or the sauce comes out watery. You skip about 30 minutes of roast-and-steam time.
Three options, in order of intensity: red pepper flakes in the shrimp seasoning, a fresh Fresno or red jalapeño blended into the sauce, or a spoonful of Calabrian chiles in oil stirred into the finished sauce. For maximum heat, do all three.
Goat cheese gives you creaminess and tang at the same time, in one ingredient. It also lets the sauce come together in the food processor with no cooking step, which is what gets this dish on the table in under 30 minutes. My Roasted Red Pepper Pasta uses the cooked-sauce-and-heavy-cream method if that's more your speed.
NOTE: This post was updated recently to include new information, including FAQs and an updated recipe.
Eric Ritschel says
Quick and easy. Taste great. I used a garlic herb infused goat cheese which was really good. This is my first time using goat cheese and it was great!!! Thanks for the recipe Mike.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Eric. Enjoy!
Mike Hultquist says
Goat cheese!! A must next time. I love it. Thanks so much, Eric. Glad you enjoyed it!
BJ says
Hi Mike, if I wanted to substitute jarred roasted red peppers (Mezzetta) for the fresh bell pepper above, what would be the appropriate measurement? Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
BJ, I would use 3-5 slices of them, to your preference. Let me know how it turns out for you.