Un-Stuffed Banana Pepper Pasta (Vegan!)

This Un-Stuffed Banana Pepper Pasta is a celebration of summer garden veggies! Creamy basil ricotta, roasted peppers and tomatoes, and a light garlic pasta sauce make this a quick meal that’s sure to impress!

When I first moved to Buffalo, New York, I thought I had the basics of my new hometown down. Buffalo Bills are good, the beer here is better, and Wegmans is the best grocery store ever. Things I didn’t know? People here are OBSESSED with banana peppers.

Banana peppers are in everything – perogies, pizza, pasta, and the infamous stuffed banana pepper.

My husband likes to tell a story of a restaurant that served legendary stuffed banana peppers. Evidently, they were so good that you had to call ahead and order items in addition to the peppers because they would sell out so fast!

To fully embrace my adopted hometown and satiate my husband’s stuffed banana pepper craving, I came up with this Vegan Un-Stuffed Banana Pepper Pasta!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This is a quick recipe that really lets the simple, fresh ingredients shine.

• Pasta – Shapes like penne, farfalle, rigatoni, or ziti would all work great for this recipe. Any curly or tube, really. This is easily made gluten-free by subbing in gluten-free pasta!

• Fresh Tomatoes – It’s tomato season at our house, and I’m using them as fast as I can but still wake up to an overabundance nearly every morning! I used about 10 Juliet (similar to Roma) tomatoes for this recipe, but any cherry or Roma you have or pick up at the store will work fine. Just make sure they’re not the big slicers like beefsteak or Brandywine. While cherry and Roma can stand up to roasting, I feel like the larger tomatoes would lose too much water during their stint in the oven.

• Banana Peppers – The star! I used 8 small ones from the garden, but feel free to use as many mild peppers as you would like! Be careful with the peppers, though! While banana peppers aren’t usually too spicy, some can get firey quick, and could ruin your dish!

• Red Onion – Any variety of onion will do, but I like the color contrast red onions give to the mostly monochromatic pasta salad.

• Caramelized Onions – I used one-quarter of the big batch of Vegan Caramelized Onions I had in the freezer, but feel free to skip if you don’t have them or are short on time.

• Garlic – When I asked my husband what the quintessential flavor in his favorite stuffed banana peppers was, he said garlic. So, don’t skip or skimp unless you absolutely hate it! The garlic in this pasta is cooked with caramelized onions and white wine, mellowing the flavor and eliminating the “garlic burn” some people don’t care for. Not us, but some people.

• Basil – Basil adds so much to this dish! If you don’t have basil on hand, parsley would work well as a garnish, but not in the ricotta.

• Extra Firm Tofu – Pressed extra firm tofu gives the vegan ricotta its characteristic texture and bulks up the protein in this meal!

• Raw Cashews – Soaked raw cashews are such an indispensable ingredient in my kitchen. If you are short on time, soak the cashews in hot water for about 15 minutes before blending or less if you have a very high-speed blender like Vita-mix.

• Lemon Juice

• Franks Hot Sauce – This is a Buffalo dish, and no other hot sauce will suffice. In Buffalo, Franks is so common it’s even in the few Mexican restaurants I’ve visited!

• Vegan Italian Sausages (Optional) – Stuffed banana peppers frequently have sausage and cheese, so why shouldn’t your pasta? If you have some on hand, a couple of vegan Italian sausages really take this dish to the next level. If not, no worries! This pasta is plenty filling on its own. For this recipe, I used Impossible Sausages.

• Salt and Pepper

How to make Un-Stuffed Banana Pepper Pasta

First, set the oven to 400 degrees. Chop all the veggies, and toss in 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.

Once the oven is at temperature, place the veggies in and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes. You want some char, and a little blistering on the peppers. Keep an eye on them while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, and remove them as soon as they are done. Set aside.

Next, cook the pasta according to the package directions.

While the pasta cooks, start the pasta base. Heat a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegan butter to the pan. Toss in the minced garlic and let sizzle for about 30 seconds.

Next, add the caramelized onions if using, and then deglaze the pan with the white wine making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

When the pasta is done, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, and drain.

Add the reserved pasta water to the pan with the onions and garlic and let reduce for a minute or two. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, toss, and cover.

Make the Basil Ricotta

Add the soaked cashews, water, salt, lemon, and basil to a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.

Place the block of pressed extra firm tofu into a medium-sized bowl.

Pour the cashew and basil mixture over the tofu, and smash gently with a fork until it is lumpy but well combined. Stir in the parmesan if using, and season with salt and pepper.

Add the roasted vegetables and 1/2 a cup of the basil ricotta to the cooked pasta, garlic, and onions. Stir together well.

To serve, dish a portion out and add a big spoon of the ricotta right on top. Add sliced vegan Italian sausages if using, and garnish with fresh basil and lots of Franks hot sauce. Enjoy!

Gluten-free options and Storage

This pasta is naturally gluten-free if you choose a gluten-free pasta. I’ve tried several kinds, and one of my favorites is Bionatureae. It holds its shape well and doesn’t get as mushy as others tend to.

This pasta will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. You can even make this ahead of time if needed. Just mix it together and place it in a casserole dish covered with aluminum foil. Heat covered at 350 degrees for twenty-five to thirty minutes.

Thanks so much for checking this pasta out. If you make it, let me know! Tag me on Instagram @vegans_for_dinner.

Thank you <3

Sonia