Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad Recipe with Chilli and Basil
Last updated on October 16th, 2026
A really good pasta salad doesn’t need mayonnaise or a fridge full of odds and ends: it needs peppers roasted hard enough to blacken, a proper hit of chilli, and enough olive oil to make it worth eating cold. This roasted pepper, chilli and basil pasta salad is that kind of pasta salad: fresh, a little smoky, with a slight pesto character running between the basil and the Parmesan. For something more filling, try my Italian chicken pasta salad.
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad
Rigatoni is doing the heavy lifting here. Its ridges and hollow tubes are built to hold onto dressing and small pieces of pepper, so you get all the flavour in every forkful instead of pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Fusilli does a similar job in my lemony tuna pasta salad.
The peppers are roasted hot and hard, until the skin blisters, blackens in patches, and starts to pull away from the flesh: that’s what gives you a smoky sweetness you can’t get from raw or lightly cooked peppers. It’s worth catching every drop of the juice they release, too, because that goes straight into the dressing. Roasted peppers are also the heart of my romesco sauce.
Chilli flakes bring the heat, and you’re in control of exactly how much: go easy for a gentle warmth or heavy-handed if you want it to properly bite. Fresh chilli works just as well if that’s what you’ve got. A spoonful of chilli oil with toasted spices works too.
Torn basil leaves add the fresh, herbal lift that stops the dish tasting one-note against all that roasted sweetness and chilli heat.
Grated Parmesan ties it together the way it does in a good pesto: salty, nutty, and rich enough to round off the sharper edges of the chilli and the sweetness of the peppers.
Each bite lands a little differently: the bite of the rigatoni, a burst of sweet charred pepper, a flash of chilli heat, then the basil and Parmesan smoothing it all out at the end.
Get the peppers in the oven first: everything else in this pasta salad comes together fast once they’re done.
How to Roast Peppers for Pasta Salad
Toss whole peppers in olive oil and salt, mixing with your hands so the oil coats the peppers rather than sitting as a puddle on the tray, then roast at 200°C/395°F for around 10 minutes, flip them, and roast for another 10 minutes until the skins are blistered, blackened in places and starting to separate from the flesh. Cover them tightly, a tray, dish or foil all work, and leave to steam for 10-15 minutes, since this makes the skins slip off far more easily. Peel while they’re still a little warm, catching any juices in a bowl, as they’re worth saving for the dressing.
Once the skins are off, slice the peppers open, drain any juice into the bowl, and take out the seeds and any big pieces of white pith. Cut the flesh into strips about the same size as your pasta: they tangle through the rigatoni, whereas a small dice would mostly end up at the bottom of the bowl.
Making the Dressing and Mixing the Salad
Combine minced garlic, dried chilli flakes (or fresh chilli), extra virgin olive oil, torn basil leaves, grated Parmesan and a pinch of salt, then fold in the peeled and sliced peppers, their reserved juices, and the cooled pasta. Mix thoroughly so every piece is coated, dry spots mean flavourless bites, then plate up and finish with a little more Parmesan and basil. If you want to change up the dressing, my go-to dressing formula makes it easy.
Tips for the Best Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad
- For pasta salad, you will want to cook the pasta more than the package instructions, al dente pasta salad is not good! The rigatoni I used for this recipe states a 14-minute cook time on the packet, I cooked it for 16 minutes in total.
- Let the pasta cool down naturally, just drain it and toss it in some olive oil, this ensures a good texture, helps the pasta cling to the sauce and ingredients. If you rinse the pasta under cold water, you’ll end up with a soggy pasta salad.
- Roast the peppers (capsicums) at a high heat to get the skin charred in places and separated from the flesh of the pepper.
- Steam the peppers for 10 or 15 minutes, by covering them with something like a container, another roasting tray or some aluminium foil when they are hot from the oven. This makes them easier to peel.
- Add as much or as little chilli as you want, also fresh chilli works very well.
- Always mix pasta salad really well, dry spots equals flavourless spots!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put roasted red peppers in pasta salad?
Yes, and they work especially well. Roasting the peppers until the skins blister and blacken gives a smoky sweetness you can’t get from raw ones. Cut them into strips about the size of your pasta so they tangle through the salad, and add their roasted juices to the dressing.
How do I peel roasted peppers easily?
Cover the hot roasted peppers tightly (a tray, dish or foil all work) and let them steam for 10-15 minutes before peeling. The trapped steam loosens the skin so it comes away easily.
Can I use jarred roasted peppers instead of roasting my own?
Yes, jarred roasted peppers will save time, though roasting your own from fresh gives a smokier flavour and lets you save the flavourful juices for the dressing.
How spicy is this pasta salad?
You control the heat: use as much or as little dried chilli flakes as you like, or swap in fresh chilli for a different kind of heat.
Why should I mix pasta salad so thoroughly?
Dry spots mean flavourless bites. Mixing thoroughly makes sure the dressing, peppers and Parmesan coat every piece of pasta evenly.
Can I make this pasta salad vegetarian?
Yes, it’s already vegetarian: just check your Parmesan is made with vegetarian rennet if that matters to you.
Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad Recipe with Chilli and Basil
Equipment
- Baking / Roasting tray
- Colander
- Heatproof container / Dish
- Mixing bowl / Bowl
- Strainer / Sieve
- Chef’s knife
- Chopping board
- Microplane / Fine grater
- Serrated / Bread knife
- Digital scales
- Measuring jug
- Measuring spoons
- Thermometer / Probe
- Timer
- Large pot / Stockpot
- Saucepan
- Serving plate / Platter
- Deli containers & lids
Ingredients
- 250 g pasta rigatoni
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 large yellow pepper
- 1 large orange pepper
- 1 cup basil leaves stalks removed
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes
- 50 ml olive oil
- Salt
- Parmesan to taste
Instructions
- Cook and cool the pasta, cook it over the packet instruction by 1-2 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 200C / 395F.
- Oil and season the peppers, give them a good mix and a massage so they are evenly coated.
- Roast them for 10 minutes then give them a turn and roast for another 10 minutes, until the skin is blistered and blackened in places and starting to come away from the flesh.
- Place another tray or some foil over them and let them cool and steam for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes of steaming, the peppers should be cool enough to handle.
- Peel the skin off and remove the seeds, saving as much of the juice that comes out of them as possible.
- Then cut the peppers into a similar shape to your pasta shape (in most cases this will be strips/batons)
- Into a mixing bowl, finely chop, mince or grate the garlic, add the chilli flakes (this could also be fresh chilli) the olive oil and the basil leaves (save a few for garnish)
- Add the pasta, peppers and their saved juice, give everything a good mix so there are no dry spots, and taste for seasoning.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
| Total Fat | 32.7g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.8g |
| Cholesterol | 0.7mg |
| Sodium | 171.2mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 109.9g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9.8g |
| Sugars | 13.9g |
| Protein | 19.7g |
| Potassium | 870.2mg |
