It’s the Most Wonderful Recipe Of the Year

December 12th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin'

Three little peppers, all in a row.

Three Red Bell Peppers

Mom’s Red Pepper Sauce? Say it ain’t so!

Mom's Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Red pepper sauce as an alternative to tomato sauce, like the recipe card says. My mom made this recipe a lot when I was a kid, and I remember thinking she was nutso for making sauce with RED PEPPERS of all the nasty and disgusting things on this earth.

(Kids are so dumb.)

At least she didn’t make me eat a “no thank you helping” of this stuff. And now I know why. Because it’s so dang good she didn’t want to share a drop with some kid who wasn’t going to appreciate it!

I appreciate it now, Mom. I appreciate it now.

So! Red peppers washed; seeds, stems and membranes removed.

Red Pepper Seeds and Stems Removed

(Chopped into smaller pieces before loading into the pan.)

I made a few adjustments to my mom’s recipe, swapping olive oil for butter, as well as water + salt in place of chicken brother. (Veggie broth would work too, I just didn’t have any.) I also had to skip the onions because the ones I had were old and soft and already in the process of composting right in the basket they were in.

Peppers sauteed with a couple cloves of garlic in olive oil until soft, about 20 minutes. I turned the stove off just as the skins were loosening up and about to fall off.

Saute Red Peppers Until Soft

Who wants to guess what comes next?!

The Blender Comes Next!

That’s right! The blender comes next!  You win!

(You are so smart.)

Whirr Whirr Whirr

Mmmmmm, time for a hot red pepper smoothie!

Blended Red Pepper Sauce

That “hot red pepper smoothie” was the little joke I said to myself when I took the lid off the blender and peered inside. But then I tried some. And suddenly, that little joke wasn’t the least bit funny.

It really was time for a hot red pepper smoothie.

I resisted though and didn’t drink it. I stayed the course and poured some on the spaghetti squash baked at the same time per the dinner time plan for tonight.

Pour on the Red Pepper Sauce

Except for lunch.

That’s right, dinner at lunch time. Dinner schminner, this is hot and ready now! I’m pregnant and hungry for the love of all that is red and savory on a Monday afternoon!

Red Pepper Sauce with Spaghetti Squash

Topped with a little parm for some cheesy flavor and texture.

People. Listen to me very carefully. In fact, please lean in closer to your screen so you know just how serious I am.

This. Is. Crazy. Good.

Do not walk to your local grocery store.  Run.  Run now.  Run to the produce section.  Run and be free and throw red peppers into your cart (gently) with reckless abandon!  Hurry before I buy up all the red peppers everywhere!

This would surely be incredible pasta, I opted for spaghetti squash because my veggie mojo is back and I’m in the process of making up for lost time. Don’t be shy with the olive oil (or butter), it’s the fat from the oil plays a crucial role in what makes this so delicious.

And no worries.  Red pepper sauce with spaghetti squash was still on the dinner menu for tonight. For him, anyway. It was a homemade bean burrito for yours truly. And a cold red pepper smoothie.  And a pickle.

Mother’s Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

Serves 6 – 8

3 Red Bell Peppers, deseeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large onions, chopped
2 – 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 c water or broth
salt to taste

Saute vegetables in olive oil (or butter) on medium heat until very soft. Puree in blender until smooth. Pour over spaghetti, spaghetti squash or drink straight from the blender. The choice is yours.


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